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| November 24, 2006 | Friday | Ziqa'ad 2, 1427 |
Squash’s Olympic bid to be decided in 2009, IOC Chief
ISLAMABAD, Nov 23: Cricket is unlikely to be inducted as an Olympic sport in foreseeable future while the bid of squash to gain Olympic status will be decided in 2009, the President of International Olympic Committee, Jacques Rogge, said on Thursday.
“International Cricket Council itself has not applied for Olympic membership and the game is unlikely to get entry into the IOC community though I myself am fond of cricket,” Rogge said.
Also present with Rogge at the press-talk were President Pakistan Olympic Association, Lt. Gen. (r) Syed Arif Hasan, and IOC member from Pakistan, Shahid Ali Shah.
“I have to persuade other heads of state and government to work for promotion of sports but here both President and PM of Pakistan are lovers of sports and as such are keen for sports promotion,” said the Belgium-born Rogge.
Later on Thursday, he left for Lahore after which he would proceed to Doha (Qatar) where he would chair an IOC Executive Board meeting.
To a question about the bid of squash to become Olympic sport, Rogge said IOC was keen to include this game in the 2016 Olympics. “The host city of 2016 Olympics would be decided in 2009 and at that time the sports to be played in 2016 Olympics will also be decided”.
To another question, he said IOC would extend all help to POA in the tough task of development of women sports in this country.
On this occasion, Gen. Arif said POA was ensuring 20 percent representation of women in all sports bodies and federations, as required by IOC.
Rogge said Asia would have the largest representation at 2008 Beijing Olympics. “Not only China but Asia will have its biggest participation in Olympics 2008”.—APP
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