|
15/02/2019
Olympics 2024 Bid News
|
PSA Players React with Frustration
to Paris Olympics Exclusion
Squash players past and present have reacted with a sense of
bewilderment after the sport was excluded from the list of additional
events proposed for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Former World Champion Nick Matthew was among the most vociferous
in his condemnation of the decision to leave out squash in favour of
breakdancing, climbing, skateboarding and surfing.
Matthew told The Daily Telegraph it was a devastating blow for squash,
adding: “We should have been part of the Olympic movement years ago,
certainly from London 2012. It’s very frustrating and I don’t see
anything that will change if we carry on doing the same things. Sports
are being pulled from left field now.”
Explaining the decision to include breakdancing, Paris 2024 said it was
an “urban, universal and popular sport with more than a million B-Boys
and B-Girls in France”. Local organisers must submit the recommended
list to the IOC, which will make a decision in December 2020, following
the Tokyo Games.
Matthew said the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would owe squash
an apology if it approves the proposals, claiming he believed the sport
had ticked all the boxes required for inclusion in Paris. “Skateboarding
didn’t even have a national governing body when it was chosen as an
Olympic sport. It shows a massive disconnect from the IOC on the actual
infrastructure of the sport. It has to be made accountable.
“It seems like there is this criteria, it has to be the pinnacle,
governed in the right manner, gender equality and good anti-doping,
truly global. All these things squash has, and we have improved.”
Many other players took to social media to voice their frustrations.
World No2 Ali Farag, who is heading to Chicago for the PSA World
Championships, said on Twitter: “Go breakdance while we play a One
Million Dollar Tournament of the best sport in the world!’’
 Ali
Farag
 @AliFarag
Go breakdance while we play a One Million Dollar Tournament of the best
sport in the world!#Squash #WeAreTheBest
PSA World Tour
@PSAWorldTour
Joint statement from the PSA and @WorldSquash regarding the selection of
additional sports for the @Paris2024 @Olympics#Paris2024
His sentiments were echoed by US No1 Amanda Sobhy who shared a
Gif on Twitter with the comment: “Time for me to work on my breakdancing
skills.’’
France’s Gregoire Marche – denied the chance to play in a home
Olympics – said: “I just can’t believe it hope it’s not over and we can
still fight for squash because Squash really needs it compare to others
sport !! Everyone has to help please.’’
Greg Lobban felt the sport had been badly let down. “Squash has
met the supposed “criteria” for an Olympic sport for many years now but
sadly the system to include new sports in the Olympics programme seems
flawed.…
“However I refuse to say or believe that “this is a sad day for squash”.
The PSA World Tour is thriving at the minute with our first million
dollar tournament taking place this week and reaching new audiences all
the time thanks to SquashTV and Facebook. Let’s crack on!’’
Keir Worth, head of England Squash, said: “It is particularly
heartbreaking for the talented young players from around the world that
will miss out on the chance to showcase their talent, hard work and
athleticism on the biggest stage in sport.”
And Australia’s Cameron Pilley said: “Squash will again miss out
on Olympic inclusion. We need to make squash the greatest non Olympic
sport there is (probably already is though!). Use it to our advantage
and make squash a mainstream sport, then politely decline when finally
asked to become an Olympic sport!’
Cameron Pilley
@campilley
Squash will again miss out on Olympic inclusion. We need to make squash
the greatest non Olympic sport there is (probably already is though!).
Use it to our advantage and make squash a mainstream sport, then
politely decline when finally asked to become an Olympic sport!
Squash Mad
@SquashMadDotCom
Squash ignored again as breakdancing (is it even a sport?), surfing,
skateboarding and wall climbing proposed for Paris 2024. https://squashmad.com/breaking-news/tears-and-fury-as-squash-suffers-latest-olympic-setback/
… @PSAWorldTour @WorldSquash @nickmatthew @AliFarag
@noursherbini @RaneemElWelily @ljmassaro @DarylSelby
@CamilleSerme @campilley
The PSA and WSF issued a joint statement on learning of squash’s
exclusion.
WSF and PSA have met the announcement on the proposed selection of
additional sports for the Paris 2024 Olympic Programme with great
disappointment.
The proposed list of four sports only, of which three sports are already
confirmed by the IOC on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic programme, leads to a
belief that Paris 2024 and the IOC favoured sports already in the
Olympic programme, leaving practically no opportunity for other sports.
The unity that our sport enjoys globally is exceptional and is getting
stronger by the day. WSF and PSA are supported by the entire squash
community and, with our athletes at the forefront, have run a strong
campaign that respected the timeline and the criteria set by Paris 2024
and the IOC. During the campaign, we showed that squash has a vibrant
and real forward-looking programme rooted in constant innovation, which
strives for more inclusiveness and sustainability, youth engagement and
equality across all of our activities in and outside of the court.
We truly believe squash could seamlessly integrate into the Olympic
programme with minimal costs and an optimised pool of participants. Our
unique interactive glass court would allow squash to bring a lot of
additional excitement and spectacular action to any iconic monument of
the host city or shed a new light on less known urban areas, while also
helping to engage young people in the sport from day one of the
preparations and well beyond the Olympic Games.
|
|
