Egypt’s
World No.3 Ali Farag has been named as the Professional Squash
Association’s (PSA) Men’s President as one of four new additions to the
PSA’s Board of Directors - which were officially confirmed at the
association’s annual AGM held on the eve of the AJ Bell PSA World
Championships on Saturday December 9 in Manchester, England.
Farag, who won his first World Series title at October’s U.S. Open,
replaces England’s former World No.1 James Willstrop as the Men’s
President, with Willstrop remaining as a board member as his six-year
reign as President comes to an end.
World Squash Federation (WSF) Vice President and Colombian Squash
Federation President Pablo Serna will also lend his expertise to the PSA
Board of Directors. Serna has spearheaded the delivery of the two most
lucrative squash tournaments ever in Latin America - the Colombia Open
and Ciudad de Floridablanca - over the past two years and is the first
person ever to serve on both the PSA and WSF boards at the same time.
Also joining the board is former PSA Tour Director Claudia Schürmann.
Zurich-based Schürmann spent over four years with the organisation
between 2010-2014 and brings with her an extensive knowledge of the
association, the sport and its players.
The final addition to the board is former squash pro Michael Puertas, a
former World No.103 and Tournament Promoter of the Emerson RC Pro
Series.
"We are delighted to welcome Ali, Pablo, Claudia and Michael onto our
Board of Directors and we look forward to working with them over the
coming years," said PSA Chairman Ziad Al-Turki.
"The sport has taken numerous steps forwards in recent years and we are
confident that the changes to the board will help us continue this
upwards trend, with their experience and knowledge complimenting that of
the existing board members.
"We would also like to thank Ashley Bernhard, Jonathan Kemp, Shabana
Khan and Mohab Khattab - our outgoing board members - for their
contributions to the PSA during their time with the association and wish
them the best of luck for the future."
Farag said: “It’s definitely an honour to be nominated and elected as
the PSA Men’s President on the PSA Board.
"I think that the game is going in the right direction, we are a global
sport and hopefully we continue growing with the vision that the PSA has
got.
"I look forward to being a part of this, to being the voice of the
players in front of the PSA Board and to helping in any way I can to
grow the sport."
