Squash to pitch for Olympic inclusion in Tokyo on Friday

Tokyo: World Squash Federation President N. Ramachandran and his team will make a presentation tomorrow to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee for consideration of the racquet sport in the Summer Games.

Two Japanese teenage squash players Satomi Watanabe (last year?s US junior open U-17 winner) and Ryunosuke Tsukue (Japan's youngest national champion), who have also shown significant prowess on the international stage, will be part of the team boasting the likes of Malaysian star Nicol David, the champion player who began her 10th successive year as women's world number one.

"Our sport has been on an exciting journey of change and innovation," said Ramachandran.

"Two years ago it took us to the final shortlist of three sports that were considered by the IOC for a place on the Tokyo 2020 programme ? and we are now grasping the opportunity to re-present our case to the host city with both hands. The pathway towards 2020 has been a long one, starting for us in 2011, but we are pleased to still be walking on it," he added.

Squash, together with seven other sports, will make its presentation following the recent International Olympic Committee (IOC) offer to the 2020 Games hosts to nominate additional sports for the programme.