ISLAMABAD, Nov 18: Jahangir Khan, the newly elected president of the World Squash Federation (WSF) Monday expressed the hope that the sport could join the Olympic family in the year 2012.

“I see a good chance of this happening because things have become relatively easier with squash now in the Asian and the Commonwealth Games,” he told mediamen Monday.

“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to exclude some Olympic sports, so that should be an added help for squash,” he said.

“We have been trying for the past 10 years to have the sport included in the Olympic fold but now with the 2004 Olympiad in Athens and Beijing hosting the Summer Games in 2008, I think 2012 would be the year when squash gets the big breakthrough.”

Jahangir, who beat Mike Corby of England last month to become the first ever president of WSF from Pakistan said, that a meeting of the federation was being held next week. “In that meeting we will decide on the roles the members have to play. My aim would be to make all the 119 member countries of WSF participate actively, so that we can launch a full fledge campaign to make the Olympics.”

Speaking of his election, Jahangir admitted that he had not expected he would win. “I am happy, now that I have been elected. It is a big honour for me, especially because I am the first person from Pakistan to have achieved this.”

Pakistan, he said would be his priority during his term at the helm of WSF. “Matters that used to take time earlier would be disposed off swiftly and the PSF wouldn’t face problems any more.”

Jahangir called on the sponsors to be more generous in their support and felt that if the media played its due role, squash could make rapid progress.

He also urged the Pakistani players to work hard as there was no shortcut to success. “I used to train nine hours each day and the current lot of boys must follow strenuous training schedules in order to win big titles.”

The players should make full use of the facilities being provided by the PSF, he said and reiterated that only working hard was the only road to success.