Squash has missed the shortlist for the 2024 Paris Olympics, with the organising committee announcing that breakdancing has been proposed for inclusion, joining three sports that will debut at Tokyo 2020 (surfing, climbing and skateboarding) for inclusion in France.
The World Squash Federation and Professional Squash Association have met the announcement with a joint statement, saying that the campaign for Olympic inclusion 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.
Squash Australia CEO Richard Vaughan says he struggles to understand the decision.
“I struggle to understand Paris 2024 and the IOC’s direction on the latest inclusion and having been involved as an athlete, coach and administrator across four Olympic Games in another sport and knowing lots of other Olympians I know there is a lot of confusion and from the general public.
“Squash is a healthy, athletic sport which has real global expansion the past decade demonstrated by the million dollar world championships in Chicago next week, the Ivy League USA College system and world class players form Egypt, Qatar, Columbia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and India to name a few.
"As a national sport we have made major leaps forward in the last few years, with achievements that have included:
- Winning three medals (two gold and a bronze) at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
- Australia has the current men's World Doubles Champions (Cameron Pilley and Ryan Cuskelly)
- Securing a Commonwealth Games legacy facility that has allowed the sport to establish the National Squash Centre and training facility at Carrara on the Gold Coast
- Increasing participation rates by 42% over the last 3 years (as per Sport Australia statistics)
- Increasing membership numbers by 34% over the last 3 years
- Reaching the highest achievable performance category rating at the AIS (foundation 3 sport)
Squash Australia will host the 2019 World Doubles Championships on the Gold Coast in June, with Australia's top players targeting world titles on home soil.