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 World
Squash Federation
INSTANT UPDATE |
07-Dec-09:
WSF Delegation boosted by
IOC Lausanne Meeting
World Squash Federation President N Ramachandran has
expressed his confidence that, despite losing out on a place in the
2016 Olympic Games, Squash is highly regarded by the International
Olympic Committee.
Mr Ramachandran, accompanied by WSF Secretary-General George
Mieras, met IOC President Jacques Rogge and Christophe
Dubi, Head of the IOC Sports Programme Commission, on 3rd
December in Lausanne to review the sport's position on becoming an
Olympic medal sport.
Invited by President Rogge to give his views on the recent bid and
the future, President Ramachandran said he wished to speak plainly
about the acute sense of disappointment felt by the entire squash
community at the outcome of the 2009 bid.
 Ramachandran
stressed, however, that this was now in the past and that the most
important message to convey was the wish of Squash to try again, to
seek advice from the IOC as to what might be needed and foster the
good relations built up still further.
The IOC President welcomed the plain speaking: "Mr President, I like
your style," responded Rogge.
Dr Rogge was adamant that the 2009 bid process had been utterly
clear since the July 2007 Guatemala IOC session and that criticisms
of the IOC in this respect were misplaced. He, too, though wished to
move on and welcomed very much the commitment of squash to continue
to try.
The IOC President outlined the process ahead: a list of
International Federations of quality to be included in the next bid
in 2013 would be established by the IOC in 2011, and would include
the core sport to be dropped.
"We were very pleased to learn from the President that Squash will
be on that list," said Ramachandran.
President Rogge then asked Mr Dubi to give Squash an idea of areas
in which the sport's case might be strengthened. "We received some
very clear advice relating in particular to development of the game
worldwide and broadcasting," said the WSF President.
"An offer of help by the IOC was made, and gratefully accepted, and
the WSF Management Committee will immediately set about planning our
strategy for these next years - in association, of course, with PSA
and WISPA, building on the vital unity established during the 2009
campaign," added Ramachandran.
At the conclusion of the meeting President Ramachandran was
delighted when President Rogge accepted his invitation to visit the
new state-of-the-art squash facilities in Delhi whilst at the
Commonwealth Games next October.
President Ramachandran was pleased with the outcome of the Lausanne
session: "It was one of the most satisfactory meetings I have
attended.
"We have clear guidance. Furthermore, I believe that we are highly
regarded as a sport, scoring highly in most key criteria - including
universality and the commitment of the athletes to our becoming an
IOC medal Sport.
"I truly believe that we can now progress our case further, giving
us a real chance of success. In my time as President, we shall do
everything possible to ensure that we achieve this," concluded
Ramachandran.
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15-May-09:
Coaching Conference Attracts Responses
From All Five Continents
 The
9th World Squash Coaching & Development Conference - which is
sanctioned by the World Squash Federation, organised by Hong Kong
Squash, and funded by the Hongkong Bank Foundation Continuing Coach
Education Programme - has received extensive responses from all five
continents.
Next week's three-day conference, from 22-24 May, has attracted over
60 participants from 24 long-haul or short-haul countries/states to
register their seats. Coaches and sports administrators from
Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, India, Ireland,
Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Kuwait, Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia,
Netherlands, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa,
Switzerland, USA, Zimbabwe, and the host state Hong Kong will all
meet together in the hub of Asia to exchange their ideas and
experiences with each other.
Overseas guest speakers - including five-time World Squash Champion
Sarah Fitz-Gerald, Squash New Zealand National Coach
Anthony Ricketts, England Squash National Coach David Pearson,
Head of Analysis of English Institute of Sport Stafford Murray
and World Squash Referee Mrs Chris Sinclair - will join
together with the Hong Kong local sports specialists to present an
all-embracing Olympic-orientated conference on and off court.
"This is an outstanding response by the Squash coaches and
administrators from all over the world - and, especially as we
approach the final stages of our 2016 Olympic bid campaign, it
clearly shows that Squash is a truly universal sport," said
Heather Deayton, WSF Vice President and Development & Coaching
Committee Director.
"World Squash congratulates Hong Kong Squash for providing this most
opportune time for the conference participants to join together to
increase their knowledge and explore new avenues of taking Squash
another step closer to becoming an Olympic Games sport."
The conference will kick off on 22nd May 2009 with an Olympic update
from the World Squash Federation, followed by sharing other
professional knowledge in coaching, squash rules update, junior
development systems, sports science, sports medicine, anti doping
and marketing of squash. It is anticipated that everyone involved
will benefit greatly from this worthwhile assembly!
www.hksquash.org.hk/worldcoaching09
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Ramachandran
is
WSF President
Cyrus Poncha reports
An historic day for not only Indian Squash but possibly Indian
sports as well when Mr. N. Ramachandran, Secretary General of
the Squash Rackets Federation of India and President of the Asian
Squash Federation was elected as President of the World Squash
Federation at the Annual General Meeting held today at Manchester.
Mr. Ramachandran takes over from Jahangir Khan.
N. Ramachandran becomes the first Indian to be a President of a
Federation which features in major games such as the Commonwealth
Games and Asian Games.
Chris Stahl of England the other nominee for the post of President
withdrew stating that Mr. N. Ramachandran was the man best suited
for the job, particularly in this crucial period where squash is
making a bid to be part of the Olympics. Mr. Ramachandran he said
had the quality and contacts to take squash to greater heights. Mr.
Stahl was later elected as vice president of WSF.
Mr. Ramachandran was understandably delighted and said that this was
a happy moment for him and his association and will strive to ensure
that squash is included in the Olympics.
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the new management committee of WSF- Mr.
Chris Stahl (VP), Ms. Heather Deayton (VP), Mr. N. Ramachandran
(President), Mr. Gerard Decourcy (VP)
'PRO'
Scoring
becomes Standard
It is also understood that after much discussion the WSF AGM voted
overwhelmingly for 'Pro Scoring' (PAR to 11) to become the new
standard scoring method for squash.
The current 'Hand-in to 9' remains an option, just as PAR is an
option in the current rules. |
Issue 21, July 2008
- WSF meets the
IOC
- Jahangir &
Tunku Imran honoured
- Sport accord
meetings
- Record world
junior entry
- Tour news
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Instant Update #20 |
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Instant Update #19 |
Issue 20,
June 2008
-
Olympic strategy planned in KL
- Three
referees for all ...
- Award
for Simcock
- Mak's
earthquake victim support
-
Federation news
- Tour
news
-
Congratulations ...
- Upcoming
events
- WSF
moving to new temporary home
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Issue 19, May 2008
- Olympic Shortlist & Torch
Relay
- World Squash Day 2009
- Unified Scoring
- Prime Time in Germany
- Tour News
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Instant Update #18 |
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Instant Update 17
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
30 April - 03 May
European Team Championships,
Amsterdam, Netherlands
24-31 May
Pan American Championships,
Cuenca, Ecuador
03-07 June
European Individual Championship,
Bratislava, Slovakia
14-18 July
Oceania Masters Championships,
Norfolk Island
27 July - 08 August
World Junior Men's Championship,
Zurich, Switzerland
22-28 August
World University Squash Championships,
Cairo, Egypt
13-19 October
Hi-Tec Men's & Women's World Opens,
Manchester, England
17-25 October
World Masters Championships,
Christchurch, New Zealand
30 Nov - 06 December
World Women's Team Championships,
Cairo, Egypt |
OLYMPIC LATEST
 Our next
milestone is in April 2008 when the IOC announces the shortlist for
the Olympic Programme Review 2008/09.
We must then extend the successful campaign which saw Squash come
out on top of the five sports on the 2005 shortlist.
The good news now is that only a simple majority vote is required -
rather than the two thirds needed then!
Furthermore, we have made significant progress against the Programme
Commission's report for Squash in 2005 - in areas such as
Popularity, Development and Presentation.
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DOUBLES
After exhaustive analysis and trialling of various options by Squash
New Zealand, a proposal to increase the width of the Doubles court
for the elite game was approved by the WSF AGM in Bermuda.
Thus, whilst the current official doubles court (width 7.62m) will
continue to be used at all other events and for recreational play, a
court that is 0.8m wider (ie. 8.42m) will now be used for all
World events that include elite athletes - the intention being to
make elite doubles more exciting to play and watch.
Some of the events that will use the wider court include the World
Doubles Championships Chennai 2008 and the Commonwealth Games Delhi
2010.
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CONGRATULATIONS:
Nicol David - who was voted 'Asian Sportswoman of the Year'
in December, and in February won her sixth Asian Championship title
since 1998
Samantha Teran - who in February became the first Mexican to
enter the women's world top 20, thereby taking the number of
countries represented in the top 20 to an all-time high of 11.
Bermuda - for attracting a capacity crowd of some 1,400
enthusiasts to the final of the Men's World Open in December - more
than 2% of the island's total population!
Amr Shabana - for winning his third World title in Bermuda,
then in March celebrating his second complete year as world number
one
Camille Serme - who won the women's European Junior U19 title
in March, becoming the first player ever to win the title three
times!
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