Why isn’t squash in the Olympics? Champions say game deserves to be there
Malaysian great Nicol David and world number one Mohamed El Shorbagy say it’s a pity the sport isn’t in the world’s biggest extravaganza as they prepare to defend their Hong Kong Open titles
The world’s top squash players on Monday issued an impassioned plea for entry into the Olympic family after they were forced to once again watch from the sidelines as the Games unfolded in Rio de Janeiro.
“Squash really should be there – it has so much to offer,” said Nicol David, the eight-time world champion and widely acknowledged as the greatest player the women’s game has ever seen.
“We’ve given it our all in our campaigns [to get in the Olympics] but just not got there,” continued the Malaysian world number four.
WATCH: Nicol David beats Laura Massaro to win last year's Hong Kong Open
“That’s all you can do – try your best – but it doesn’t make not being there any easier to take. It has been tough. But we have great athletes, and it’s a great sport.”
The 32-year-old David has this week returned to chase her 11th straight title at the Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Squash Open, adding her considerable lustre to a field that boasts the world’s top 10 women’s players, along with nine of the top-10 men.
Among them will be world number one Mohamed El Shorbagy and the Egyptian also said watching the action in Rio from his couch had been “tough”.