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| July 9, 2005 | Saturday | Jumadi-us-Sani 1, 1426 |
WSF hopeful of making debut in 2012 Olympics: Baseball, softball dropped
SINGAPORE, July 8: Squash hopes of making a debut in 2012 Olympic Games enter the last lap defined by publication of final report from IOC Olympic Programme Commission that summarises the technical evaluation of 28 existing Olympic summer sports and five ‘new’ sports under consideration.
The report is culmination of intense work by IOC since World Squash Federation (WSF) received news in September 2004 that squash - alongside golf, roller sports, rugby and karate - would be “studied further” with a view to inclusion in Olympic Games programme for 2012.
It has been distributed to all IOC members who will vote on sports programme of 2012 Olympic Games at 117th IOC Session in Singapore from 6-9 July.
Jacques Rogge, IOC president, urged all IOC members to vote “based on technical merits of a sport as analysed by experts and noted in this report”.
Christian Leighton, WSF chief executive, said: “The report on our sport is very strong. Squash meets all criteria to become an Olympic sport and receives excellent marks on virtually all areas of study.
In a letter sent to all mmber nation federations, Leighton points out that the sport’s bid and lobby process has emphasised the very strengths that report underscores. “It is reassuring to know that we have been using right messages.
Squash legend Jahangir Khan, record ten-times British Open Champion now WSF President, will lead Federation’s team in Singapore, joined By Leighton and Emeritus President Susie Simcock.
Meanwhile, baseball and softball will not feature in the 2012 London Olympics after they were wiped from the programme in a controversial vote on Friday.
The two sports failed to win a majority of votes in a ballot of members at a meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Singapore and became the first sports to be axed from the Games since polo in 1936.
The 26 other sports from the Athens 2004 programme did poll enough votes and will remain on the programme in London.
Baseball and softball’s ejection opens the door for two of golf, squash, karate, rugby sevens and roller sports to be added.
The IOC’s Executive Board will propose two from the five and members will vote on their inclusion on Saturday.
In 2002 the IOC decided to cap the numbers of sports at an Olympic Games at 28, the number of events at 301 and the number of athletes at 10,500.
At that same session in Mexico City, IOC President Jacques Rogge proposed that baseball, softball and modern pentathlon be dropped, and golf and rugby union added.
However IOC members resisted and no vote was taken.
“This is payback for Mexico City,” a visibly shocked softball federation chief Don Porter said on Friday. “They wanted us out in 2002. It has taken them three years but they have got us.
“We didn’t expect this at all. The discussions we have had all week led us to believe we were safe to assume the programme would remain unchanged for 2012.—Reuters
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