Squash players welcome IOC`s decision

Chennai: Indian racqueters hailed IOC`s decision to shortlist Squash as one of the sporting disciplines for the 2020 Olympics.

"Players worldwide are eagerly waiting for the chance to compete in the Olympics and win medals," said country`s number two women`s player Joshna Chinappa. Indian men`s squash ace Saurav Ghosal, meanwhile, said that players world over were confident that the sport will become part of the Olympic movement sooner than later. "Players worldwide were more than happy and confident that the Squash would become part of Olympic movement sooner than later with the game being shortlisted by the world body," said Ghosal, world ranked 26th.Chances of squash`s inclusion in the Olympic Games got brightened after the International Olympic Committee shortlisted it for the 2020 edition. The IOC`s Executive Board has listed baseball, karate, roller sports, softball, sports climbing, squash, wake-board and wushu for possible addition to the sports programme for the next Summer Olympics after Rio de Janeiro in 2016. Welcoming the decision, World Squash Federation (WSF) President N Ramachandran said, "We are delighted to be given this new opportunity to be considered for inclusion in the Olympic Sports Programme.""I am confident that we will be able to show the IOC Programme Commission, the Executive Board and wider IOC membership that our case has become even stronger over recent years," he added. PTI