Ivan Lendl Joins Tennis Stars Backing The Bid
by Bob Hanscom
April 30, 2013 - We've heard that former #1 tennis-player in the World Ivan Lendl has a squash-court at his home in Greenwich, Connecticut - and is the latest former tennis great to Back The Bid For Squash being included in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.
Lendl joins tennis stars Roger Federer, Kim Clijsters, Stefan Edberg and Andre' Agassi as the fifth former tennis great backing the bid! Here's what they had to say...
Federer: "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." Agassi: "Squash is absolutely one of the best/toughest sports;" Clijsters: "I think Squash would be a great addition to the Olympic Games. It's a great competitive game and different from the other racket sports in not having a net dividing the players. It shows great intensity. With the modernization of the game I think it deserves a place in the Olympic Games." Edberg: "Squash has all the credentials to be an Olympic sport - it would complement the other racket sports that are already part of the program and it would be great to see it included in the Games."
As everyone is aware, the IOC Executive Committee voted to recommend that Wrestling be dropped from the 2020 Olympic program, which will now join seven other sports (SQUASH, Baseball/Softball, Roller Sports, Wake-boarding, Wushu, Karate, Sport Climbing) in applying for inclusion for the 2020 games. The eight sports are scheduled to make presentations to the executive board at a meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia on May 29th, just four weeks from now.
A final decision is to be made in September when the committee is also to choose the location city for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The three candidates are Istanbul, Tokyo and Madrid. The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro are to include rugby and golf for the first time.
Stay tuned!
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