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New sports at 2020 Olympics


gotosy

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I'll probably suicide if Baseboring returns to the games.

@runningings: olympics is not charity. There are already a lot of events that bring low ratings across the globe. Olympics needs to get smaller and add more popular sports, specially among youth, otherwise it'll lose some of its importance.

Anyways, golf sucks but it brings sponsors. Sponsors helps pay the game. So one hurray for Golfers.

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IOC President reveals plans for "in-depth" Olympic disciplines study

July 10 - Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has revealed plans for an "in-depth" study into the disciplines on the Olympic programme that could see sports losing events in place of others as early as in 2020.

Sparked perhaps by yesterday's decision to not add any new disciplines to the Games for Rio 2016 – a move that left several sports disappointed, Rogge explained the new method might be the only way to amend the Olympic programme while keeping within the limits of the charter.

"We are bound by other things in the charter that says there can only be 28 sports, 10,500 athletes and approximately 300 events," he told reporters on a conference call.

"We have written to the federations with a request to make proposals that are quota neutral.

"This means federations can make a proposal for a new discipline but the premise is that another discipline will be taken out of the Games so as not to increase the number of athletes or the number of medals.

"Federations have expanded over the request – they have asked for more athletes, more events and more medals.

"We decided not to inflate the Games and we will not accommodate for more events now for 2016.

"There will be a new study of the Olympic programme based on disciplines rather than on sports.

"The project of ASOIF [Association of Summer Olympic International Federations] will be to take away a number of disciplines from sports that are deemed to have too many events and locate them to sports that are not in the programme so they can participate without increasing the number of events.

"It's a very technical issue."

Rogge, who has held the most powerful position in sport for 12 years, added that the initiative is something he will not deal with and it will be left to his successor to explore the possibilities following his election in Buenos Aires on September 10.

The 71-year-old Belgian said he expects the study to take place during 2017 with a view for implementation during 2020.

He did admit, however, that the Olympic programme is a "very emotional issue" because of its importance to the future of not only international federations but also for the athletes.

"When I was elected in 2001, we were in a system where there was an inflation of sport events and sports," Rogge told insidethegames.

"There was under 20 sports in Barcelona, there was 20 in Sydney [Athens 2004 featured 301 medal events in 28 different sports and Beijing 2008 featured 302 events also in 28 sports].

"So the very first thing we decided was to cut the number of sports to 28 and the number of athletes to 10,500.

"At the same time we realised that we could not stay with a conservative, rigid system and that we needed a revolution within the 28 sports and that led to the elimination of softball and baseball, led to the inclusion of golf and rugby and now at the session in Buenos Aires we will have 28 sports out of the shortlist of three sports [wrestling, baseball-softball and squash].

"I think that on one hand we have blocked inflation that was very dangerous to the size and the cost of the Olympic Games, at the same time the system has allowed for changes within the 28 sports."

http://www.insidethegames.biz/olympics/1015025-ioc-president-reveals-in-depth-study-on-disciplines-on-olympic-programme

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Softball chief: tough competing with sympathy for wrestling

The president of the International Softball Federation said softball is the most popular sport in the world not in the Olympic program, but it will be a challenge to get back in for the 2020 Games with wrestling in the picture.

Don Porter spoke with The Associated Press less than two months before the International Olympic Committee will vote to add one sport for the 2020 Olympic Games in Istanbul, Madrid or Tokyo and the 2024 Games.

The finalists are a baseball-softball joint bid, squash and wrestling. The IOC decision will come Sept. 8 in Buenos Aires.

Softball completes its World Cup event in Oklahoma City on Sunday. The U.S., which won the Olympic titles in 1996, 2000 and 2004, will face Japan in the championship game. Japan won the 2008 Olympic softball title, the final Games including softball after it was introduced in 1996.

The IOC voted in July 2005 to cut softball from the Olympics beginning in 2012.

“Softball is a worldwide sport,” Porter told the AP. “We have over 50 million boys, girls, men and women playing baseball and softball. We’re the largest sport, combined, that is not on the Olympic program currently.”

But the competition to return to the Olympics is a bit daunting, which Porter acknowledged.

“Wrestling is a great sport,” he said. “It was one of the original Olympic sports. It was unfortunate what happened, but they’ve been given an opportunity to come back, like we have. It probably is going to be more difficult (for softball/baseball) because there is a lot of sympathy for wrestling, for a lot of reasons. Maybe that’s what we’re going to be up against.

“But we hope to be able, in our campaign, to get a message across that we feel is very positive as to what we can add to the Olympic program and hopefully get the vote in September.”

http://olympictalk.nbcsports.com/2013/07/14/softball-baseball-olympics-wrestling-vote/

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Baseball-softball refuse to give up on MLB players for Olympics despite season break setback

July 17- Baseball and softball are still hopeful of striking a deal to release Major League Baseball (MLB) players for the Olympics should the sports gain a place on the programme, despite MLB commissioner Bud Selig ruling out the possibility of a season break.

Selig has been a supporter of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC)'s campaign to get the sport back on to the Olympic programme, but he has claimed there is no way around the fact that the Games would interrupt the regular season, despite his wishes to see the sport back in the Olympics.

"It just isn't possible," he told the Baseball Writers Association of America.

"I wish it was."

The MLB features many of the top players in the world, and the ongoing doubt over whether leading players from the league would feature in the Games has been a constant thorn in the side of the WBSC and their Play Ball 2020 campaign.

But despite confirming that MLB players will not compete at the Games should baseball and softball regain a place on the programme, which both sports lost in 2005, Selig did confirm the MLB has extended its backing of the bid to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of its decision in September.

"I love the idea of baseball in the Olympics, I love the internationalisation," continued Selig.

"We've told them [iOC] that directly."

The MLB season traditionally runs from late March to late September, presenting a clash with the Summer Olympics, which typically take place in July-August.

Other sports allow top players from the domestic premier league, such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), to compete in the Games as their season runs through the winter months.

Meanwhile, ice hockey has found itself in a similar situation to the MLB where there has been doubt over the availability of top players from the National Hockey League (NHL) for Sochi 2014 as it clashes with the season, although the NHL is believed to be nearing an agreement which will include a mid-season break for players to compete at the Winter Olympics.

However, Selig does not see a similar season break arrangement as a possibility for the MLB.

"People would think you're crazy," he said.

"You can't do that.

"First of all, we'd be playing to Thanksgiving, maybe December 1, and secondly, some teams would have to give up players [while] other teams would sit around for three and a half weeks."

The WBSC has since responded to Selig's comments in a statement, claiming there could yet be a resolution that could see the world's top players competing in the Olympics if they win the final spot on the Games programme.

"We have the full and unwavering support of the MLB and all the pro leagues around the world," it said.

"They are fully behind our campaign to include baseball and softball in the Olympic Programme – and they are supporting us in numerous substantial ways.

"With the WBSC's innovative new format for Olympic Baseball – a six day tournament with eight international teams – there is no need to shut down the MLB season for professional participation.

"We will work together with all the professional leagues to find creative scheduling solutions to avoid any conflict with the Olympic championship games, but we have seven years to find the right formula.

"Commissioner Selig is on record in support of baseball and softball in the Olympic Games and we fully support his commitment to MLB's loyal fans.

"As the globalisation trends of baseball and softball continue to accelerate, we are convinced that baseball and softball together will add enormous appeal and value to the 2020 Olympic Games and beyond.

"The WBSC leadership is fully committed to continue engaging the professional baseball leagues and working with the IOC to find realistic and attractive solutions for the professional players to be available for their national teams, and we are very satisfied with the progress we have been able to achieve thus far and are fully confident that we will continue to take steps forward."

...

full article

http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/2020-bidding-sports/350-baseball/1015115-major-league-baseball-commissioner-rules-out-releasing-players-for-olympics-and-promises-thorough-investigation-into-doping-scandal

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Statement from WBSC on Olympic Baseball Scheduling

"We have the full and unwavering support of the MLB and all the pro leagues around the world. They are fully behind our campaign to include baseball and softball in the Olympic Programme - and they are supporting us in numerous substantial ways.

With the WBSC's innovative new format for Olympic Baseball - a six day tournament with eight international teams - there is no need to shut down the MLB season for professional participation. We will work together with all the professional leagues to find creative scheduling solutions to avoid any conflict with the Olympic championship games, but we have seven years to find the right formula.

Commissioner Selig is on record in support of baseball and softball in the Olympic Games and we fully support his commitment to MLB's loyal fans.

As the globalization trends of baseball and softball continue to accelerate, we are convinced that baseball and softball together will add enormous appeal and value to the 2020 Olympic Games and beyond.

With the commercial, economic, broadcast, and digital marketing power of the professional game - and the powerful appeal of baseball and softball to young people everywhere - our sport would add tremendous value to the Olympic Games and strengthen the Movement through our global participation, now 65 million players strong, and fan base.

The WBSC leadership is fully committed to continue engaging the professional baseball leagues and working with the IOC to find realistic and attractive solutions for the professional players to be available for their national teams, and we are very satisfied with the progress we have been able to achieve thus far and are fully confident that we will continue to take steps forward."

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  • 2 weeks later...

I don't know if it was in these thread or another. The IOC making the decision to look at disciplines instead of sports should be really telling.

It shows that the IOC might be laying the groundwork to get rid of synchronized swimming (2 events, 96 athletes, 1 pool), rhythmic gymnastics (2 events, 72 athletes, 1 venue overlay), eventing (75 athletes, 2 events and 1 expensive venue) and slalom canoeing (4 events, 71 athletes and one of the most expensive venues per athletes in the games).

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I don't know if it was in these thread or another. The IOC making the decision to look at disciplines instead of sports should be really telling.

It shows that the IOC might be laying the groundwork to get rid of synchronized swimming (2 events, 96 athletes, 1 pool), rhythmic gymnastics (2 events, 72 athletes, 1 venue overlay), eventing (75 athletes, 2 events and 1 expensive venue) and slalom canoeing (4 events, 71 athletes and one of the most expensive venues per athletes in the games).

I think Slaloming might survive because it does make for decent TV, but I'd be surprised to see Synchronized and Rhythmic both survive all that long.

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I think Slaloming might survive because it does make for decent TV, but I'd be surprised to see Synchronized and Rhythmic both survive all that long.

Actually going back to 2005 the IOC had canoe slalom, greco roman wrestling, eventing, synchro and rhythmic gymnastics all on the chopping bloc. Nothing came of it though .

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The slalom venue, to me, seems to me like the venue with the least amount of return on investment. What can you really do with it after the games? Is the legacy potential really all that high?

Only Sydney and London seems to have managed it well.

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The slalom venue, to me, seems to me like the venue with the least amount of return on investment. What can you really do with it after the games? Is the legacy potential really all that high?

Do like it was suggested in the report made when Denmark thought about bidding... Use it in an adventure park! :P

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Atlanta's was not used too bad. It is rarely used as a slalom/rafting course anymore but it is a regularly used recreational facility. It is kinda funny about Sydney. They were adament that there would be no slalom in 2000. It wasn't in their bid or plans until the IOC forced them and it turned out so well.

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Actually going back to 2005 the IOC had canoe slalom, greco roman wrestling, eventing, synchro and rhythmic gymnastics all on the chopping bloc. Nothing came of it though .

Wasn't lightweight rowing also on that list?

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The 15-member International Olympic Committee executive board postponed a decision yesterday on cutting eight Olympic events, saying it wanted to give the sports' governing bodies more time to prove that they deserved a place in the Games. The move, on the first of two days of I.O.C. meetings in Lausanne, Switzerland, means the events are all but guaranteed a place at the 2008 Beijing Games.

The threatened disciplines were in wrestling (Greco-Roman or freestyle), equestrian (three-day event), canoe-kayak (slalom), sailing (keelboat), swimming (synchronized swimming team event) and track and field (race walking).

Also yesterday, the executive board received a report that said sports were free of any influence from organized crime. The report was commissioned by the I.O.C. after the arrest last year of Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, a reputed Russian mobster accused of helping fix figure skating results at the Salt Lake City Games last year.


This was back in 2003.

Edited by intoronto
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IOC's Bach says wrestling on track for Olympic return

(Reuters) - Wrestling, axed from the 2020 Olympic programme by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February, has a good chance of coming back after making sweeping changes, IOC Vice President Thomas Bach said on Wednesday.

Wrestling, squash and a joint bid by baseball and softball have been picked as the three candidate sports, one of which will fill the spot for the 2020 Olympics left vacant by wrestling in an IOC vote in September.

"I have the impression that the international federation (FILA) has understood very well the messages sent to them," Bach, who is a frontrunner in the IOC presidential race, told the Foreign Press Association (VAP) in Berlin.

"The international federation has drawn its conclusions. It is now here with a new president, new programme and new ideas for the sport. That is why I personally believe that wrestling has good chances to come through the vote in September."

FILA launched a frantic race to make the candidate sports shortlist in May after it was stunned in February when the IOC took the sport, practiced as far back as the ancient Olympics, off theGames programme for the first time since 1900.

It changed its leadership and passed a string of new rules to make the sport more exciting and fair while also introducing sweeping changes in the federation's structure and operation.

The IOC will elect the winning sport at its session in Buenos Aires on September 8.

....

Reuters

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:blink:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323971204578630070114556206.html?KEYWORDS=Pole+Dancing

LONDON—There are terms a pole-dancing judge just doesn't use at the World Pole Sports Championships.

"Spatchcock," for instance.

That's what pole dancers usually call the maneuver Liza Szabo worked into her routine at the contest held here in July—a move that evokes a chicken splayed for roasting. But the old name wouldn't do for this venue.

Here, her move was officially the "FM10," and for good reason: The meet's organizers want to reform pole dancing into a sport respectable enough to go to the Olympics.

So they've written a rule book that gives code names to compulsory moves, specifies scoring methodology and bans pole-dancing staples such as removable articles of clothing. And they'd like people to call their event "pole sports" now.


Among the written regulations: no dancing "in an overtly erotic manner"—banned, for example, is "gluteal dance"—and no "hats, canes and anything that is not considered attached to the costume.""We're trying to be stricter here and become respected as a sport," said Florenza Pizanis, 43, a pole-dancing coach in Dortmund, Germany, and head of the International Pole Sports Federation's technical committee, which wrote the rules and applied them for the first time at the London championships.

Regulation is the latest advance in pole dancing's evolution from strip-club staple toward serious sport. The pole has already won some global respect in recent decades, and organizations have formed in various regions to press its cause.

The federation, based in a London suburb, seeks to raise the bar by meticulously codifying competition.

Some dancers worry that regimentation may take some fun out of it. In a traditional pole dance, "you can perform a lot more, you can have a lot more fun, you can be a little more crazy," said Lisette Krol, a 27-year-old from Dublin, Ireland, who competed in London but also dances in venues that don't involve disrobing but do let dancers express more sensuality.

But other pole athletes say rules were badly needed. Required moves "set a standard—they help sort the men from the boys, so to say," said Yvette Austin, 45, a former gymnast in Kent, England, who competed here in July.

At previous championships, judges ruled more loosely, said Anne Goswell, 37, a judge at this year's meet, from Edinburgh, Scotland. "Last year, basically everyone who was judging," she said, was "doing it on their own criteria."

The London championships resembled a gymnastics meet more than a burlesque hall. Dancers wore warm-up suits emblazoned with their countries' names and rosined their hands before approaching the apparatus.

Nearly 100 competitors from two-dozen nations performed routines, choosing five strength moves and five flexibility poses from the federation's list of compulsory maneuvers.

Among those moves: FM6, a horizontal split with extended legs ("Chopsticks," to traditionalists) and SM7, in which the performer lies belly-up while gripping the pole (elsewhere sometimes called "Jump to Table Top").

Stern-looking judges scored performers like Ms. Szabo, who was trying to hew to the rules with her FM10 move. Holding torso perpendicular to the pole with outstretched arms, the 43-year-old pole-dancing-and-fitness instructor from Budapest spread her legs into a vertical split and paused.

"They'll most likely deduct for that," she said after she climbed down from the stage. "It was a bit sloppy."

The rule book's requirements for the FM10: "Hold the position for 2 seconds, ankles to the pole (not the bridge of the foot as the toes need to be pointed)." She had erred by pressing her insteps against the pole.

The judges, who received training over the previous three months, meted out deductions for toes not pointed and backs not curved graciously enough. Falling from the pole was a three-point deduction.

One performer lost a point when feathers fell from her headdress.

The federation's rules frown on anything that falls off a dancer. They mandate disqualification for "intentionally removing items of clothing," ban costumes from being "used in an erotic manner" and require "neckline of no lower than eighty (80) millimetres from clavicular notch."

Despite Ms. Szabo's worries about her FM10, she won first place in her category, with 44.9 points out of a possible 60.

The awards ceremony evoked Olympic scenes, with the top three athletes in each category climbing a three-tiered stand to receive gold, silver and bronze medals.

The Olympic ambience fits the image that KT Coates, 36, president of the pole-sport federation, wants to project. The federation eventually wants to ask the International Olympic Committee to add pole dancing as an official sport, she said, and the new rules should help by making competition conform to standards set for Olympic gymnastics.

Ms. Coates, of Hertfordshire, England, said she hopes to persuade an official athletic body to recognize pole dancing as a sport—the first step toward consideration for the Olympics.

The idea of Olympic pole dancing "is one of those pretty regular stories by sports and pastimes wanting to join," said IOC Spokesman Mark Adams. A sport must meet criteria for matters such as gender balance, geographical spread and governance, he said. "They first have to become a recognized sport and then there is a long process to be gone through before they can take part in the process."

"In my lifetime? I don't know" said Ms. Coates of her Olympic aspirations. "We're hopefully changing people's perceptions about pole sports."

Some dancers still gravitate toward more-permissive venues. At the Pole Dance Cup this July in Warsaw, Poland, there were no mandatory moves and no bans on clothing type, props or sensual gyrations, said the event's founder, Natalia Maria Wojciechowska, 30, of Warsaw. The cup's only rule: contestants couldn't fully disrobe.

"I need the glitter, the hairdo, and most of all, dancing," said Renee Richardson, 30, a Budapest burlesque performer and pole expert who said she does shed garments in some venues. "The sport's nice but my heart beats for the glamour."

Ms. Coates said different approaches to the pole can coexist. "BMX and Mountain biking use the same apparatus but are completely different activities," she said.

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Why squash is slowly losing battle to become an Olympic sport

Geneva: In the two-year contest for a single spot in the 2020 Olympics, squash long seemed to be the front-runner.

The World Squash Federation delivered a more dynamic and television-friendly game to answer constructive criticism following two previous failed attempts to gain Olympic status.

Squash also figured to be popular with future hosts, which are stretched to stage 28 sports within budget and without creating "white elephant" venues. Squash offers a flexible, cost-effective option with potential to find an eye-catching location on the city's landscape.

Then, in February, everything changed.

Seven months before the September 8 vote in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the International Olympic Committee's executive board upset all calculations by removing wrestling from the list of core Olympic sports. Modern pentathlon was predicted as a more likely victim, while taekwondo and field hockey were also in the discussion.

When squash was, as predicted, chosen by the same IOC board on a three-sport shortlist in May, it was alongside a strong showing from wrestling and the combined forces of baseball-softball, two more sports which recently lost Olympic status.

"As far as the World Squash Federation is concerned, we are looking at it as two matches," the governing body's president, N. Ramachandran, told The Associated Press in an interview. "The first match was to get on to the shortlist, which we did. The second match is now to get into the Olympic Games program."

Ramachandran was relatively new to his role four years ago, when squash was beaten by golf and rugby sevens in the contest to choose two new sports for the 2016 Games.

By July 2011, the Indian businessman was leading a widespread overhaul of the Victorian-era game when the IOC confirmed its candidacy for 2020 inclusion against baseball, softball, karate, roller sports, sports climbing, wakeboard and wushu.

"We felt we had to radically change our sport the way we present our game to broadcasters, the way we judge our sport and the way the sport itself is played," Ramachandran said.

Most eye-catching are colored glass courts on which scores, replays and video review decisions using the Hawk-Eye camera system like tennis, cricket and English Premier League football are projected.

"The floor of the court becomes a scoreboard," Ramachandran said.

First-time viewers also now discover a simpler scoring system where players get a point for each rally won, replacing the traditional rule of scoring only when holding serve.

Matches are played faster and extra referees help judge on let calls when players impede each other in the confined court space.

The court is potentially key to the appeal of squash, which has dropped glass boxes into distinctive tournament locations such as the Pyramids in Egypt and Grand Central Station in New York.

"I could do it on the bridge over the Bosphorus, in a bullfighting ring or in the Imperial Palace gardens," said Ramachandran, eyeing his sport's potential home in 2020 in Istanbul, Madrid or Tokyo a decision that IOC members will make on Sept. 7 in Buenos Aires.

"You tell me where to put it, and I will do it," he said.

"You can put them up in a matter of three days."

Ramachandran sees squash fulfilling its Olympic mandate because an Olympic gold medal would instantly become the pinnacle of a player's career.

And even with only 32 men and 32 women playing in the Olympic events, squash would likely see medals won by less heralded Olympic teams.

"It's a chance of getting new countries on to the medal podium," Ramachandran said.

Egypt won only two silver medals at the London Olympics in men's fencing and wrestling yet it has five men in the current top-10 rankings in squash.

"We have had male and female world champions from each of the five continents. Tell me how many sports will have that?" Ramachandran said.

Enthusiasm flows in the Indian official's speech, and he leads a campaign that has been backed by tennis greats including Roger Federer and Kim Clijsters. Within the IOC membership, Prince Tunku Imran of Malaysia one of Ramachandran's predecessors as world squash leader has also pushed its case.

Still, wrestling appears to have the influential support of Russian President Vladimir Putin for a campaign that has brought the United States and Iran into a common cause.

"It's just like any other election people make up their minds fairly quickly," Ramachandran said. "I accept it (the result) with all humility."

AP

http://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/othersports/213192-why-squash-is-slowly-losing-battle-to-become-an-olympic-sport

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Murray backs squash for 2020 Olympics
Andy Murray has joined Roger Federer, Andre Agassi, Kim Clijsters and Stefan Edberg in backing squash's bid to be part of the 2020 Olympic Games.

Olympic, Wimbledon and US Open champion Andy Murray, who played squash before becoming a tennis star, is backing squash's bid to be an Olympic sport in 2020.

He said on Tuesday, after advancing to the US Open quarter-finals, he will cheer on squash during an International Olympic Committee vote on Sunday in Buenos Aires.

Olympic officials will consider squash, combined baseball/softball and wrestling for the 2020 Games, the site of which will be chosen at the same meetings.

Murray supports growth in racquet sports in the Olympics lineup.

"I played it a little bit when I was younger. I used to play at our local sports club.

"I like it. I think it's a tough sport. I think, physically, it's very challenging. I could be wrong, but I think why it's not on TV as much is because it almost seems like the same point is getting played.

"It's maybe not the best spectator sport, but it's a very difficult sport to play. You have to be extremely fit, have very good hand-eye coordination, good feel and good touch.

"It's another racquet sport. When you play one, you like to tend to like to watch the other ones, as well. I love watching badminton, too."

Murray is the latest big name to back squash as an Olympic sport.

In April, Andre Agassi, Kim Clijsters and Stefan Edberg followed Roger Federer in supporting squash for 2020.

"Squash is absolutely one of the best, toughest sports," said Agassi, winner of eight grand slams and Olympic gold.

"The Games would be proud."

Federer, who played squash as a junior, was one of the first leading tennis players to pledge support for his fellow racquet sport.

"I think it's a wonderful sport. It's unfortunate some sports don't get the opportunity to be in the Olympics - I think squash would deserve it."

"I think squash would be a great addition to the Olympic Games," said Clijsters who won four grand slams.

"It's a great competitive game and different from the other racquet sports in not having a net dividing the players.

Edberg started playing squash while on the ATP Tour.

"Squash has all the credentials to be an Olympic sport. It would complement the other racquet sports that are already part of the program and it would be great to see it included in the Games."

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2013/09/04/murray-backs-squash-2020-olympics

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Squash, not Wrestling, is the real victim of the EB's boneheaded move to kick Wrestling out of the games.

Got to agree. If this process was designed to give a coasting sport a kick up the arse it's succeeded, but it's failed in adding new sport to the programme which was surely the point.

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I want wrestling to remain in the Olympics, it's one of the most traditional Olympic sports. But unless they retain their Olympic status, I'd like to see squash in the games. It feels like a perfect addition to the Olympics. It is an old, traditional sport but doesn't have an event that gets much worldwide attention. I think Olympics would immediately become the biggest event for squash so they'd be a good Olympic sport.

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