All of the World Squash Federation’s (WSF) attempts to get the sport into the Olympics over the past two decades ended up hitting a stone wall. Now, the entire fraternity is finally getting to celebrate its inclusion in Los Angeles 2028.
N. Ramachandran said he had done his best to get squash on the Games roster during his two terms as the WSF president in 2008 and 2012, but in vain. “I would like to thank US Squash, the Los Angeles Olympic Committee, and the World Squash Federation for having recommended squash. I am thrilled to see squash being a part of LA 2028. It has been my dream, and I am so happy and proud of the part I’ve played,” he said.
The 74-year-old still remembers the time he attended the IOC session in Singapore in 2005 as “a young vice president of WSF”.
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“The IOC session had Sussie Simcock, then president of WSF, and the legend Jahangir Khan in attendance. But in those days, we required a two-thirds majority among the IOC members for a sport to get into the Olympics. Unfortunately, we didn’t get that,” he said.
Sportstar caught up with India player Joshna Chinappa to understand what this development means to her. The 37-year-old, a former World top-10 player and member of the bronze medal-winning women’s team at Hangzhou, said: “It was a long time coming, and I am looking forward to it.”
Joshna said the mere thought of playing in the Olympics in 2028 is exciting. “Just thinking of the possibility as a player in Los Angeles is exciting. Five years is a long time. I am motivated to see if there is a possibility,” she said.
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