WSF Sets Up Olympic Task Force

The Management Committee of the World Squash Federation, led by its new President N Ramachandran, has set up a top level task force to lead the sport's bid to join the Olympic Games programme in 2016.

The decision was taken at the first meeting of the committee since Ramachandran succeeded Jahangir Khan as the Federation's President in October.

At the two-day event in Chennai, India, on 13/14 December, the committee also co-opted Frank van Loon (Netherlands) as Vice President to strengthen the committee, and appointed Dr George Mieras (Scotland) as company secretary.

The primary topic for discussion and action over the next ten months was Squash's bid to be accepted as a sport at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The key milestones are:

• SportAccord meeting in Denver, USA, in March 2009. The WSF delegation, led by N Ramachandran, will also include former Presidents Susie Simcock and Jahangir Khan.

• Response to detailed questionnaire from IOC programme commission by March/April 2009, demonstrating the sport's universality; compliance with IOC ethics and standards; as well as values that Squash can bring to the Games

• Critical presentation to IOC Executive Board in Lausanne, Switzerland, in June 2009 by the World Squash team led by His Royal Highness Tunku Imran along with WSF President N Ramachandran, former Emeritus President Susie Simcock, and leading athletes

• Decision in October 2009 on which two sports to be added to the Olympic Games 2016 will be made by the IOC session in Copenhagen. World Squash will be present with a delegation led by President N Ramachandran, Vice Presidents and athletes

The Olympic Task Force will be headed by Frank van Loon, assisted by fellow WSF Vice President Chris Stahl and George Mieras, together with Olympic Coordinator Ted Wallbutton. The twofold aims of the new task force will be to:

• Promote the case for Squash through its members, athletes and supporters worldwide

• Encourage fund-raising in support of Squash's bid and final presentation using direct approaches to WSF members and by using the internet to approach all those Squash players and enthusiasts worldwide who would like to support the campaign

The task force will include athletes from the professional players' associations (PSA and WISPA) - leading members of which have signed a memorandum of understanding committing themselves to full support of the bid and participation in the Olympic Games.

In further initiatives heralded by the new Management Committee, PSA and WISPA will each be invited to have a representative on the WSF Executive Committee - and Vice Presidents of the WSF's regional federations will be invited to attend Management Committee meetings.

The World Squash Federation is also taking all the necessary steps to remain totally compliant with the new WADA code and has set up an athletes' commission as recommended by the IOC.

"It was a very wide-ranging and successful first meeting of the new Management Committee," said President Ramachandran. "We took some important decisions and clearly the Olympic issue is uppermost in all our thoughts and plans - I especially look forward to hearing the first reports from our new Olympic Task Force in due course.

"We need to strengthen even further our links with our athletes and our members nations - which is why we have invited our regional federations and the two player bodies to play a more active part in our decision-making processes," added Ramachandran.