Pierre Ducrey, Head of Sports Operations and IF Relations for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), attended the Annual General Meeting of the World Squash Federation (WSF) and briefed the delegates on the process the IOC used in August to select sports for inclusion in the Olympic Games.
Ducrey acknowledged that Squash had a range of strengths including athleticism, universality, has a growing number of member natures, is flexible in its staging of events, is clean, has improved its funding, would guarantee its top athletes in the Games, and has a strong presence in a wide range of major games.
But Ducrey said that the IOC was also looking for sports which would complement the current program, and that the two new sports would offer a greater commercial perspective, more spectators, and more sponsorship opportunities.
Ducrey confirmed that a strong link had been established between the IOC and the WSF, and that IOC President Jacques Rogge would be hosting a meeting with the federation in December. The IOC will reportedly conduct an analysis of all recognized sports in 2011 and will make a further study after the London 2012 Games with a view to announcing a process to consider new sports for the 2020 Games in 2013.
