The Beijing Olympic Games may be over, but the flame for squash and possible inclusion in 2016 continues to burn after meetings with the International Olympic Committee.
When baseball and softball were voted out of the 2012 Games in London, squash (as you’ll recall) was nearly voted in. But in the end, no sports were added. As a result, there are two openings in 2016 with seven sports vying for inclusion—karate, golf, rugby sevens, roller sports and squash (plus the two bat and ball games trying to reclaim their places).
During meetings with the IOC Sports Department representatives in Beijing, WSF President Jahangir Khan and Emeritus President Susie Simcock, along with WSF Patron Tunku Imran (President of the Olympic Council of Malaysia and an IOC Member), were provided with clarification on the process leading up to the selection of sports for the 2016 Olympic program. Those sports will be determined at the IOC Session in Copenhagen in October, 2009.
“As a result of my wonderful experience in Beijing, I am committed to working even harder on behalf of our athletes to convince IOC decision-makers that squash will add value and should be included on the Olympic Program in 2016,” said an enthusiastic Khan. “I am more optimistic than ever before that our Olympic dreams can be realized.”
