Press Trust of India
Mumbai, July 14: Senior squash professional and 10-time national champion Saurav Ghosal expressed Thursday his frustration over the racquet sport failing to find its place in the quadrennial Olympic Games even as top golfers are to skip next month’s sporting extravaganza in Rio de Janeiro. Golf is making a comeback to the Olympic fold after a gap of 112 years.
“I think every squash player in the world has made it clear that let alone win a medal, being part of the Olympics is a massive achievement for them and everyone holds true to that word,” said Ghosal, who is defending his men’s title at the ongoing 73rd senior nationals at the Otters
Club here.
“It is definitely very frustrating to see, or read articles every other day, of the World No.1, 2 of golf pulling out (of the Olympics) and then you have Rory McCllroy (World no. 4) coming out and saying that it doesn’t really matter,” he added.
Women’s champion Joshna Chinappa supported Ghosal’s views, and said that squash deserved its place in the Olympics.
“As an athlete we all aspire to play for India and win medals for the country and I personally think that squash is such a deserving sport to be a part of the Olympics,” pointed out Joshna. “Hopefully, the IOC will see our point of view and add the sport to the Olympic programme,” she added.
Ghosal pointed out that in total contrast to the top golfers who have withdrawn citing concerns about Zika virus in Brazil, the best woman squash player Nicole David of Malaysia had said recently that she would sacrifice anything to get a chance to take part in the Olympics.