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Monday saw the International Olympic Committee nominate five additional sports for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. While there was much anticipation from many quarters, squash wasn't selected among the five sports, which includes the likes of skateboarding, baseball, karate etc.
It was a deeply disappointing moment for the sport of squash, that had been fighting the battle to enter into the biggest sporting extravaganza in the world for 12 years.
In the wake of the decision, Sportskeeda caught up with national coach Cyrus Poncha, who spoke about the anticipation over the decision, the players reaction and why the fight to be included in the Games will carry on.
Excerpts:
Q: Ahead of the nominations, how optimistic were you of squash finding a spot?
A: The entire fraternity was optimistic leading up to this decision as squash has been in the forefront for Olympic inclusion.
Q: Have you had the chance to speak to some of the Indian players? How gutted are they over the decision?
A: Having spoken to Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu, former National Champion, he expressed that it was his dream and ambition to represent India at the Olympics. I have not had a chance to speak to any other players but can assure you that they would all be deeply disappointed after all the efforts made by the World Squash Federation(WSF) and its President Mr. N. Ramachandran who had left no stone unturned.
Q: What is the road ahead for squash and how can the players keep themselves motivated in order to bring glory to the country in the other global events?
A: Squash is the healthiest sport in the world according to Forbes Magazine, it is played by more than 20 million people from 180 countries in the world. Squash is included in other multi-sport games such as Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Asian Beach Games, World Games, Pan American Games.
Given all of this, we will not only continue promoting and participating in these international events but also continue our never ending quest for inclusion of squash in Olympics.
