Why squash should be an olympic sport

So, while squash efforts have been commendable, the jury remains out on whether they have been enough to keep the attention of young people who are consistently finding other ways to keep themselves entertained. As most people know by now, squash has already been defeated by break dancing ahead of Paris Break dancing — commonly known as breaking — has been added to the shortlist ahead of the IOC Session in June.

It got the nod ahead of squash. Those in the know are convinced that breaking will make the final cut for Paris too. Some people have been stunned by the latest developments but it really should not be a surprise. Whether we like it or not, this is where the world is going. As it so happens, Breaking was particularly popular and most will say successful at Buenos Aires.

When those final deliberations are made, squash will compete alongside — and perhaps against — climbing, skateboarding and surfing. There is actually very little doubt that breaking will be rubberstamped ahead of Paris and his views on the sport are perhaps quite telling. Bach believes breaking is a very authentic expression. To him it is more than just an exercise or performance. That is something that squash needs to reflect upon going forward. There are many purists among us — I am one of them.

If we are hoping for squash to provide a platform for authentic expression — something that young people crave more and more — the sport will be on a hiding to nothing and should just give up on the Olympic dream altogether. The reality is — and nobody really likes talking about — is that squash is still viewed by many around the world as the sport of Empire. In most developing or emerging markets, squash is the sport played by the country club crowd.

One of those emerging markets is Nigeria, a country of about million people. We can say with considerable certainty that your chances of finding a break-dancer are far greater than those of running into a squash enthusiast or a squash court for that matter. Incidentally, the capacity to stage the sport as an outdoor event is among the considerations for the IOC. Squash, as glamorous as it has become over the years, simply cannot compete with breaking on that front either.

Nigeria was just a random example of an emerging market but it is also a highly relevant one in the context of Paris France has won two of the last six football World Cups. Both of those French teams could well have been mistaken for African teams.

I know this is getting long-winded but there is ultimately a point to this. A key consideration for the IOC is that of a sport that will appeal to young people in Paris The youth of Paris is more culturally diverse than most societies in the Western World. African voices have become more valid than ever. If we are to assume that the outlook of the IOC will not change for the foreseeable future, we can at least take solace from the fact that there is actually a way out of this mess for squash.

Squash is already trying to do this — and making tremendous strides at that — but it there needs to be a more concerted to effort for the sport to dismantle its colonial identity. Sure, in large sections of the developed world, squash does not really represent class division anymore. However, in developing and emerging economies squash is the very statement of class. Normally, you have to apply to join a Country Club. Applications require fees and references. If you are accepted — and that is a very huge if — you then have to adhere to apparel regulations.

It can all be very off-putting, especially for those who seek authentic expression, as Bach calls it. London seemed like good prospect for squash, after two spaces opened up following Beijing Nothing says British more than squash. The British Open was the most prestigious tournament in squash for most of the last century.

Legacies were built on success at the British Open. Naomi Osaka and Mental Health in Sport. Nine Likely Winners at the Olympic Games. Wimbledon Review. Why Squash Should be in the Olympics. Will Rogers. I'm Will. I'm a third year history student at the University of Birmingham. My main hobbies are playing squash and dodgeball and I also enjoy reading about history, geography and sport. Published at on 28 July Last updated at on 28 July Like this?

The question then is why squash is always excluded from the largest sporting showpiece in the world. Squash has failed to convince the people of the International Olympic Committee IOC three times already, and there is as yet no indication that the hosts of the Summer Games will change their view of Paris in However, anger and frustration will only get you so far in life.

At some point, there has to be a certain amount of introspection. There needs to be a firmer understanding of what the IOC is trying to achieve under the leadership of Thomas Bach, the current president of the sports board.

Furthermore, Bach is a lawyer by profession and a reformer. That's something more important to note than his screen background. Now we can all bury our heads in the sand and pretend the world isn't moving, albeit at a painfully slow pace, or we can accept that tradition is useful as it adapts to a changing world.

Lees meer: how much do squash players actually earn? However, both players are also shadows of the players they once were and both are in their thirties.