KL Women's World Open Hosts IOC Visit

Action in the early rounds of the KL Women's World Open Squash Championship in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur attracted packed crowds at the National Squash Centre, which included IOC delegate Bob Elphinston.

Mr Elphinston, Secretary General of the Australian Olympic Committee, was visiting Kuala Lumpur to inspect the Women's World Open as part of the IOC Programme Commission review of five potential new sports for 2012.

He was presented with a Bid Book for Squash by World Squash Federation Vice President Sani Karim, the WSF Patron Tunku Imran, and Susie Simcock, Emeritus President of the Federation.

The KL Women's World Open is one of three World Squash Championships taking place in three separate countries over 20 days at the end of this year. Last week saw the finale of the Qatar Men's World Open in Doha, while players from both Qatar and Malaysia will then head for India next week where the 2nd World Doubles Championships will take place in Chennai, from 13-17 December.

"It was a great pleasure to welcome an IOC official to one of our major World Championships and show him just how glamorous, athletic and exciting the sport is," said Susie Simcock after greeting Bob Elphinston in KL. "With three World Championships in the month of December the IOC were spoilt for choice as to where to send their representative, but with the huge support and enthusiasm for Squash in Malaysia they could not have done better than the Women's World Open in Kuala Lumpur."