IOC advises WSF to seek re-bid for inclusion of squash

Chennai: The International Olympic Council has advised World Squash Federation to seek a re-bid for inclusion of the game as a medal sport for the 2020 Olympic games.

The re-bid by Squash Federation should be submitted to IOC in 2011. The original bid by WSF in 2009 was not accepted for inclusion by IOC general council. “Outlining the process ahead,IOC President Dr.Jacques Rogge informed that a list of International Federations of quality to be included in the next bid in 2013, would be established by the IOC in 2011”, a WSF press release said. After a review meeting between Rogge and N.Ramachandran, President, World Squash Federation (WSF) on Dec 3 last at Lausanne, the World body for the Games advised the WSF to re-bid for its inclusion as a medal sport.President Rogge was accompanied by Christophe Dubi, Head of the IOC Programme Commisssion at the meeting, and President Ramchandran by WSF Secretary-General George Mieras. Ramachandran gave his views during the meeting on the recent bid and the future. Expressing the squash community`s disappointment over the outcome of the 2009 bid,Ramachandran sought to seek advice from the IOC as to what might be needed and foster the good relations built up still further, according to the release.Rogge said 2009 bid process had ``been utterly clear since the July 2007 Guatamala IOC session and that criticisms of the IOC in this respect were misplaced’, the release said. Rogge emphasized the need to move on and welcomed very much the commitment of squash to continue to try. PTI