Hong Kong Welcomes World's Best...say what!?
by Bob Hanscom
Nour El Sherbini, world #5 - Raneem El Weleily, world #3
October 23, 2012 - Hong Kong welcomes world's best! If that's the case, I guess the Egyptian gals weren't listening...seeing that five of them are among the top 32 players in the world, i.e. El Weleily #3; El Sherbini #5; El Tayeb #20; Abdel Kawy #28; and El Torky #32 - and they won't be there! Perhaps they didn't hear the announcement, "Hong Kong Welcomes World's Best!"
All kidding aside, why oh why aren't the "world's best" Egyptian squash-playing women entered into what will (supposedly) be the "showcase" squash event to and for the IOC to view?
And...isn't truly ironic that Egyptian girls have dominated the world junior championships (American Amanda Sobhy is Egyptian) since Nicol David won her two back-to-back world junior championships way back in 2001, i.e. Kawy in 2003, Weleily in 2005-2007, El Sherbini in 2009, Sobhy in 2010, El Tayeb in 2011 and Sherbini again in 2012!
Aren't "these" girls (women now) the ones who stand the best chance of being among our first Squash Olympians in 2020!? It would make sense that they are the players who will (more than likely) still be around then and want to be the ones showcased to the IOC!? This is what was stated in a recent publication...
A glamorous show is on the cards for next month's Cathay Pacific Sun Hung Kai Financial Hong Kong Open as the game's governing body tries to convince the International Olympic Committee that the sport should be admitted into the 2020 Olympics.
"We have big plans for a high-profile tournament, especially on the last two days when two IOC officials will be here to watch and evaluate our bid to become an Olympic sport," said Heather Deayton, vice-president of the World Squash Federation, at yesterday's draw for the annual tournament, which will feature the world's leading men and women players.
Deayton, who is based in Hong Kong and was formerly a long-serving official with the local governing body of the game, said Hong Kong would have to make a lasting impression on the IOC delegation, which will include a member of its sports program commission, during the visit.
"They (the IOC) will be here for the semi-finals and final and this will be played outdoors as in the past few years outside the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Center. I'm confident we can put on a good show, especially with the backdrop of the harbor at night," Deayton said.
Didn't the article read "...the world's leading men and women (world's best) players!?" Weren't those great Egyptian female squash-players (their SRA and coaches as well) listening? Or...could there be some other reason for them not being there in Hong Kong!?
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