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Source: Inside The Games
June 3, 2008
James Willstrop, Britain's top squash player, today spoke out against his sport's exclusion from the 2012 London Olympics.
Writing in a column published in today'sYorkshire Post, he said: "The biggest disappointment we had was when squash failed to get into the 2012 London Olympics when the voting was carried out in Singapore in 2005.
"Many of us believed we had an extra chance of getting voted on as the sport is so strong in the UK and chances of winning medals would be high.
"The annoying thing is that squash players would give everything to compete at an Olympic Games.
"I enjoy tennis and I am inspired by Roger Federer but it's fairly clear to see that, looking back over the last few Games, the Olympics is not at the top of the men's priority list.
"The same goes for football.
"Great Britain don't even field a side, so it seems it can't mean that much.
"This hurts the squash players because every world player would turn up and play for their lives. Just being there would be a pleasure and a privilege.
"It makes me cynical when such rich sports are in the programme and some deserving minority sports aren't.
"Perhaps there are reasons for the IOC (Inaternational Olympic Committee) to include high-profile sports and if this is the case then it is wrong.
"I can't say I have ever heard one valid explanation from the governing body saying why squash can't be added to the Olympic programme, especially with so many other sports taking the TV spotlight in Beijing this summer."
Willstrop, the British national champion and former world number one, hopes that the sport will be included on the 2016 programme but believes a medal may be beyond him by then when he will be 33.
Squash is among seven sports being considered to be included on the programme for 2016.
The others are Rugby sevens, karate, roller sports, softball and baseball.
Willstrop wrote: "I feel bad that my Olympic dream is quite possibly over, as by the next Olympics when squash could be included, in 2016, I will be far too old.
"But it is important that we continue to endeavour to put squash where it rightly deserves to be."
The original article from Inside the Games can be read by clicking HERE
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