World Success Key To Funding, Says England Squash & Racketball Chief
by Howard Harding
August 16, 2011 - Nick Rider, England Squash & Racketball's chief executive, says that winning the World Team Squash Championship remains key to the sport's funding in the future.
As a non-Olympic sport, squash receives no funding from UK Sport and has to rely on Sport England's elite funding to maintain its stance as the most successful programme from a British sport outside of the Olympics.
This week, England travel to Paderborn in Germany where a strong four-man squad will be aiming to win the biennial World Team Championship for the fifth time since 1995.
They will be looking to build on England's first clean sweep of medals at last year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi and to overturn the disappointment of finishing fourth in the last World Team tournament in 2009.
Rider said: "There was a period [2008] when one of most successful non-Olympic sports was not going to be funded. It would have meant having to fund the sport ourselves. It was an alarming prospect.
"As there is no commitment to elite funding from 2013 so it is very important for us that we demonstrate good value for money and give a return for success.
"It is a big week. We strive to be the No 1 squash nation in the world in our objectives and it is very important that we remain so.”
Nick Matthew is currently ESR's leading light on the world stage thanks to his status as world No 1, world and Commonwealth champion. And Rider believes that continuing success, as well as in the women's game and at junior level, will pave the way for secured funding - starting with the World Team Championships.
"World titles are absolutely vital to our success," he said. "We always set out to win and we and Egypt are very close at the moment.
"Last time was very disappointing as we would always expect to come in the top two. But we are well prepared and the players know how good they are. The team environment is a challenge the England players respond to."
Jim Lord, ESR's operations director, said: "It is part of our agreement with Sport England that our performance is at the highest level. Squash and netball are quite unique in that we don't receive funding from UK Sport so it is important that we do well at the teams when it comes to funding.
"Since 2009 we have had some great results with the Commonwealth Games. But this is a massive event and we believe we have the team to go to Paderborn and win the title.
"The team is working together and it bodes well for Paderborn."
England are seeded to win the 2011 title, ahead of second seeds Egypt, the title-holders.
Led by Nick Matthew, the world number one from Sheffield, the squad will also feature fellow Yorkshireman James Willstrop, the world No4 from Leeds, and Essex duo Peter Barker and Daryl Selby, ranked 7 and 11 in the world, respectively.
England currently has five men and four women ranked in the top 20 of their respective world rankings, including world number one Nick Matthew.
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