The World Squash Federation is in Berlin this week hoping to be one of the sports selected to a short list from which the IOC will consider adding to the Olympic programme beginning in 2016.
“I think we’re very satisfied that we’ve gotten our point across … I think we are in as good a shape as we can be,” Scott Garrett, Olympic Bid Manager for Squash told GamesBids.com from the World Athletics Championships.
“We’ll add value to the Games. We’ll guarantee that the Olympics will be the most important thing in Squash; the top athletes have already signed in writing that they will be there.”
The International Olympic Committee are being very selective; there are only two spots available for the seven sports that are applying to become an Olympic sport – and there is no committment that any vacancies will be filled.
Garrett said that Squash meets IOC requirements – it is popular in many countries; it is inexpensive to play; it is accessable and provides a good, instense workout.
“It will take the Olympic movement probably into new markets; if the Olympics were tomorrow there would be 32 nationalities present on the Squash court and medals probably for Egypt and Malaysia and you can’t say that for many sports.
Talk amongst insiders suggest that Golf and a modified Rugby “sevens” are the favourite sports due to their immense commercial potential – but that hasn’t stopped Squash from trying to convince the IOC otherwise.
“While we can’t promise to deliver massive amounts of TV audience to the Olympic Games with the inclusion of Squash, we can promise to add to the product that is already there … and that has been the task throughout with all the opportunities we’ve had for communication (with the IOC).”
The IOC will announce their decision during their Executive Board meetings later this week.
