Squash makes shortlist for 2016 Olympics

Squash has been added to the shortlist for sports to be included in the 2016 Olympic Games ...

The International Olympic Committee sent a letter to the World Squash Federation last week, confirming that the sport had passed the first hurdle.

Squash just missed out on being included in the London 2012 games, after officials decided not to include any more new sports.

The other sports that squash must defeat to be included in the 2016 Games (assuming that a sport is removed to make room) are baseball, golf, karate, roller sports, rugby and softball.

In hindsight it makes one wonder whether anyone had a word in Seb Coe's ear prior to the successful 2012 bid to suggest that - if squash were included - Great Britain might have the chance of winning something. The organiser of Britain's successful bid clearly knows how to play IOC politics, but I suspect that his timetable wouldn't have been able to accommodate giving an individual sport any assistance.

Over 2,000 people recently signed a petition that was submitted to the UK government asking for squash to be included in the 2012 Games. The response to the petition can be viewed here.

International Olympic Committee
World Squash Federation