 |
Re-starting
the WSF Instant Update series is an important
project and I am glad to have the opportunity to
discuss important topics in Issue 13.
The intent of the WSF Instant Update is to share
progress on key WSF initiatives but it is not
intended as an exhaustive report on all business
matters. We will leave that for our 04/05 Executive
Committee Report.
I hope you find this edition informative. As always,
any feedback will be much appreciated.
Christian Leighton
OLYMPICS
The Build-Up
The race for 2012 was always going to be a difficult
one. Not merely due to the competition but also
because of the race rules. Most notably, the Olympic
Charter states that in order to include a new sport
(s) to the programme, an existing one (s) must be
dropped. While controversial, this rule could not be
changed ahead of or in Singapore. And knowing that
we could not influence the decision on existing
sports, we focused on what we could impact: being #
1 in the hearts and minds of as many IOC Members as
possible, in case the opportunity came up.
So WSF and our Member National Federations embarked
on a mission to familiarise as many IOC Members as
possible with our sport and our proposal for 2012.
Looking back, we all did a good job of defining our
messages and how to deliver them. And we all pulled
together as one united team magnificently.
We chose to win the hearts and minds of the IOC
Members by using a soft, 1-to-1 approach that has
been complimented extensively. And we also received
acknowledgement for the campaign materials - the
Olympics presentation and DVD. But the most
important reason why our build-up campaign was
successful is because we have a wonderful sport that
is practiced and run by a great, united family.
It is because Squash delivers the goods: an
intensely athletic and clean sport, role-model
athletes, popularity in all continents, ever
expanding professional tours, increasing levels of
TV coverage and a zest for technology and
innovation. It was very satisfying to confirm that
Squash is widely recognized as one of the first
sports to embrace the Internet. We need to remain on
the forefront.
Singapore
The hype in Singapore was extraordinary. Jahangir
Khan, Susie Simcock, Nicol David, Charles Ng and
Sukumaran Nair of Singapore Squash and myself were
there throughout the whole 117th IOC Session.
Singapore Squash capitalised on the opportunity and
arranged a never-ending series of interviews to
further expose our case. Jahangir Khan and Nicol
David did at least two interviews per day from July
5th to July 8th with wide coverage on the main
newspapers including the Straits Times - delivered
to the door of every IOC Member!
Undoubtedly the highlight of our campaign in
Singapore was on July 6th. The official Opening
Ceremony of the 117th IOC Session started at 7:30PM.
After the initial speeches by Mr. Rogge and the
Organising Committee, Channel News Asia, which was
transmitting live to over 20 countries, switched to
a live interview in which Jahangir Khan discussed
our case. We had the very best prime time and to add
the icing on the cake, a public survey on which
sport (of the five) should be included in the 2012
Olympic Games showed Squash on top with 47% of the
votes!
With London having won the race for Host City and
supporting Squash’s inclusion full on our chances
looked good. To then see not one but two openings
become available surely meant that changes to the
programme were inevitable. And when the race was on
for those two spots (and all of Squash’s hard work
over the past few years was put to the test), Squash
came out on top!
Squash was effectively voted into the London 2012
Olympic Games ahead of Karate while Rugby 7s, Roller
Sports and Golf were eliminated in earlier rounds of
the voting.
With
Mr. Rogge pushing for new sports to replace the ones
that had been excluded our chances now looked
extremely good. Mr. Rogge requested a show of hands
to quickly confirm Squash and Karate as Olympic
sports and thus thrust us into the programme but the
overwhelming negative from the floor indicated that
something was not quite right.
The last hurdle proved to be insurmountable.
According to the Olympic Charter, a new candidate
sport must obtain 2/3 of the vote to be recognised
as an Olympic sport. And this we failed to achieve
by a significant margin. We needed 70 of the 105
total possible votes with abstentions and invalid
ballots counting as “no”. Squash obtained 39 votes
in favour with 63 against and 3 abstentions while
Karate had 38 in favour, 63 against, 3 abstentions
and 1 invalid ballot.
So why did we fail to get even close? On the one
hand, the target is unrealistic and the IOC
recognises this problem. No sooner the results were
in and President Rogge was already talking about
lowering the benchmark to simple majority – as is
required of Olympic sports. We will of course push
for this change in the Charter so that the playing
field is level next time around.
On the other hand, the atmosphere in Singapore was
not conducive to change. While most IOC Members will
say that change is good, 2012 was judged as too
early for changes to the sports programme. “You
don’t change a winning team” was a recurring theme
in the back corridors. Also, as soon as Baseball and
Softball were excluded, we had to contend with two
unofficial participants in the race. And this we
never planned for. To put it bluntly, many IOC
Members decided that no sports should have been
dropped and that therefore the vacant spots should
remain as such.
Lets also face the fact that despite our efforts,
most IOC Members know Olympic sports far better than
they do any non-Olympic sport. It is only logical
after attending so many Olympic Games and working
with the Olympic International Federations for such
a long time.
So we should all be disappointed and not to try
again, right? Wrong!
What did Squash achieve?
There are many positives coming out of this bid
cycle. And I would like to highlight the main ones:
- Squash has won
the race for inclusion in the Olympic Games 2012.
This is a major marketing tool because it
underscores our perceived value among key sport
leaders
- Squash’s report
from the Olympic Programme Commission provides an
objective assessment of our strengths (yet another
marketing tool) and opportunities (more on this
later)
- Squash’s profile
has been elevated in the IOC and we now enjoy more
and stronger links with key IOC Members and IOC
staff
- Squash’s profile
has been elevated in the media
- Squash is now
seen as a very serious contender for 2016
- Squash has a
better understanding of what it will take to get
into the Olympic Games and is equipped with
unprecedented levels of reputation and clear next
steps
As you all know, WSF
focused almost exclusively on this project in the
past 6 months. We did it for a very good reason that
is as valid today as it ever was: everything we did
for the Olympics race would benefit our sport. We
would learn how the world views us and we would
elevate the profile of our sport at the same time.
As surfers would say, we had a unique opportunity to
catch a large wave and we made the most of it!
What now?
The objective of gaining Olympic status remains
intact. Squash belongs in the Olympic Games because
our inclusion represents a win-win that is rooted in
shared values and ideals.
The next opportunity is at the IOC Session of 2009.
At this meeting, a similar review of the sports
programme will take place with the aim to define the
sports for 2016. With two vacancies already
available, Squash finishing in top place in 2005 and
our superior network with the IOC, the chance in
2009 is now so much better.
We do need however to integrate our Olympics project
into our strategic planning, at all levels and in
all organisations if we are to be successful.
But what has happened since Singapore?
WSF has already had informal feedback from the IOC
in terms of how we can take Squash to the next level
and thus have a solid case for inclusion in 2009. We
have also obtained rich feedback from IOC Members in
Singapore, Duisburg (World Games) and Edmonton
(World Masters). And we will be meeting with Mr.
Rogge to express our points of view on this cycle
and review the IOC’s recommendations looking ahead.
But the benefits do not stop at a heightened chance
of inclusion, as if this were a small prize.
The beauty of having gone through this cycle is that
we now have a clear picture of what our image is
among key sport leaders and very specific
recommendations on how to take the sport forward.
You will not be surprised to learn that “reaching
new audiences” is the key theme and that TV is
viewed as a key tool.
WSF is currently integrating all the learning and
will be asking for your points of view to define our
vision and strategies. We will have a chance to
discuss this further at the AGM.
I will leave you with a thought from the great
Jacques Cousteau when discussing the role of his
films in gaining new adepts to the conservation
cause (I apologise that this is not verbatim): “in
order to preserve the oceans and its creatures one
must first care about them and you do not care about
what you don’t know”.
Recognitions
Everyone involved in Squash deserves a share of
recognition in this campaign: Players, Coaches,
Promoters, Member National Federations, Regional
Federations, Media, Sponsors, Club Owners and
Investors, Referees, Player Associations and
Manufacturing Companies. You have all taken Squash
to where it is today: at the very doors of the
Olympic Games! Well done.
Thank you to all.
WORLD GAMES 2005
The
World Games is a multi-sport event for non-Olympic
sports conducted under the patronage of the IOC.
Ever since its inception in 1981, The World Games
have enjoyed exceptional development with growing
number of sports, athletes, media interest and
support from National Olympic Committees.
The WSF supports The World Games on an ongoing basis
for various reasons:
- They provide our
athletes an opportunity to compete in their own
elite multi-sport event and represent their
countries as members of a delegation
- They provide an
excellent platform to showcase our sport to the
world
- They have been a
stepping-stone for several sports to the Olympic
Games programme
- They represent
and promote the ideals of sport and the Olympic
Movement
The 7th World Games
2005 Duisburg was a huge success. With over 3,500
athletes from 40 sports and 100 countries, the table
was set for a global feast of sport competition and
fraternity.
It all started
with a highly colourful and entertaining Opening
Ceremony on July 14th at the MSV Arena in Duisburg.
IOC President Jacques Rogge and International World
Games Association President Ron Froehlich led the
official proceedings that were sandwiched between a
show of lights, colour, music, athletes, dancing and
art. Jahangir Khan, Howard Harding and myself
attended the VIP Reception and Opening Ceremony and
shared fruitful discussions with various members of
the sports world.
The Squash competition was held in Mullheim an der
Ruhr from July 16-19. The level of Squash was
breathtaking and the crowds were numerous and
extremely cheerful from Day 1.
Amongst the distinguished guests were:
1)
Kelly Fairweather, Sports Director of the IOC,
an ex-player himself, enjoyed the Finals alongside
Jahangir Khan and myself
2) Ron Froehlich, President of the
International World Games Association (IWGA) and
President Emeritus of the Association of Recognised
International Sports Federations (ARISF - of which
Squash is a member). Ron was impressed by the crowds
and has always supported widespread coverage of
Squash within the Games’ promotional and media
outlets
3) Bob de Die, Senior Vice-President of the
IWGA, thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling Quarter-Final
between Peter Nicol and Karim Darwish and commented:
“this is why Squash should be in the Olympic Games”
Squash
achieved all its objectives at The World Games 2005
Duisburg. We had a fantastic event that received
plenty of media attention and coverage, the players
had a good time – playing and at official athletes
party after the Finals and Jahangir Khan and myself
had very productive meetings in relation to our
Olympic ambitions.
Squash has made a powerful impact on the 7th World
Games 2005 Duisburg and we look forward to the 8th
edition in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei, from July
16-26 2009.
I
would like to thank Jahangir Khan for
enduring a gruelling month of July in which his WSF
duties took him from Pakistan to Singapore to
Duisburg to Kuala Lumpur, all in the space of 25
days!
I would also like to thank Howard Harding and
Fritz Borchert who single-handedly took on
the challenge of covering the Squash event at The
World Games 2005 Duisburg. They did an excellent
job!
WORLD MASTERS
GAMES 2005
The 2005 World Masters Games was a huge success. Kai
Holm, IOC Member and President of the IMGA
(International Masters Games Association) described
the event at the Closing Ceremony as “perfect”.
This edition was held in Edmonton, Canada, from
July 22-31, 2005. In total, over 22,000
competitors from 84 countries participated in 27
sports, including Squash.
Susie Simcock, who is a Board Member of the
IMGA, attended the World Masters Games and was
delighted to report on a well-organised and
well-supported Squash event with over 380 entries.
Among the many winners in the multiple age
categories was Sarah FitzGerald with a gold medal in
the +35 competition.
Susie was impressed by how Edmonton put into
practice the Games’ slogan “Passion Qualifies You”.
No better testament to this than the inspirational
performances of a 96 year old in the swimming event,
a 80+ year old in the half marathon and a 77 year
old in the triathlon! Edmonton embraced everyone in
style with the end prize being an ultimate
celebration of sportsmanship and camaraderie.
The World Masters Games help to promote the sport of
Squash. We look forward to the next edition in
Sydney in 2009.
Finally, Susie will kill me but she deserves a
special mention after grabbing two silver medals in
the Golf competition, which had 1,800 entries.
Congratulations Susie!
2005 AGM &
CONFERENCE, BRAZIL
This year’s AGM will be in Costa do Sauipe, Bahia,
Brazil. The dates are Nov 16-19, 2005.
Strategically, we have chosen Brazil to get Latin
America more involved in World Squash. Our mission
as a world body is to promote Squash in all regions
and in as many countries as possible. Having the
2005 AGM in Brazil represents a valuable tool to
kick-start growth in the region and gives a boost to
our efforts of keeping Squash in the programme of
the Panamerican Games Rio 2007.
Costa do Sauipe is a superb beach resort complex in
the north east of Brazil. Our hotel will be the
5-star Sofitel Costa do Sauipe that provides for all
our meeting needs as well spectacular options for
leisure including squash courts, tennis courts and a
championship golf course.
The theme of this year’s Conference is “Taking
Squash to the Next Level”. The Olympic bid cycle has
provided rich data and analyses that point to where
we should be headed as a sport. Thus, the time is
perfect for World Squash to take a good look at
ourselves and define our Vision for the future.
The Conference programme is taking shape but you
should come prepared to brainstorm, share your great
ideas and experiences and challenge how we run
Squash today.
Please book your AGM & Conference package by Sept
30th to secure your accommodation. The payment
details and logistics are included in the notice
that will be with you this week via email and
shortly thereafter by post.
More details and Package
Reservation Form
Thank you for your attention.
Christian Leighton
