Squash chiefs’ delight at LA 2028 Olympics announcement
The World Squash Federation has welcomed the prospect of LA 2028 ending its long wait for inclusion at an Olympic Games.
Squash officials have repeatedly lobbied to be added to the Olympic roster and narrowly missed out in both 2012 and 2016.
But the LA 2028 organising committee has named it on a list of five sports it wishes to include at the Summer Games in five years’ time, along with baseball and softball, Twenty20 cricket, lacrosse and flag football.
The International Olympic Committee is now set to review and vote on the plans at its congress in India, which starts on Sunday.
“The WSF, US Squash and the Professional Squash Association welcome the decision by the LA28 Organising Committee to recommend squash for inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympic sports programme,” said the World Squash Federation.
“The decision is a significant and exciting milestone in squash’s history as the sport nears inclusion in the Olympic Games for the first time.”
Squash players and supporters have long argued that the game has the profile and popularity to merit a place on the Olympic programme.
It has been part of the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Pan American Games since the 1990s, and was selected to be a demonstration sport at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics.
That generated renewed hope of full inclusion, having been overlooked for London 2012 and then edged out by golf and rugby sevens for Rio four years later.
Squash could represent a good medal chance for Team GB, with British players currently in both the men’s and women’s world top 10.
LA 2028’s eclectic selection could also see flag football make its Olympic debut, while neither cricket nor lacrosse have been contested at the Games for more than a century.
“In building the Olympic sport programme, we were willing to challenge the status quo and think differently about what’s possible for the Games in Los Angeles,” said LA 2028 chief Kathy Carter.
“We approached the process holistically and authentically, ensuring that our decisions were grounded in the Games’ commitment to fiscal responsibility.
“We’ve landed on a bold and balanced proposal that will energise the Games with culturally relevant competition and boundless possibility.”