A place on the Olympic schedule is critical for any sport. Not only are you profiled in ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’, but everyone wakes up to your commercial potential.
When the sevens code of rugby union was given the green light and added to the 2016 Olympic schedule for Rio, it suddenly became part of the curriculum in schools across Russia and gained access to vital public funding. Many emerging nations also make their sporting curriculums ‘Olympic’ in the hope of cultivating the gold medallists of the future.
In July squash beat the likes of netball and surfing to make the shortlist for inclusion on the 2020 Olympic Games schedule. After two failed bids for inclusion in 2012 and 2016, the WSF decided to recruit Vero Communications, lead by bidding expert Mike Lee, to ensure it will be third time lucky.
Lee knows what it takes to woo the International Olympic Committee (IOC) having successfully led the rugby sevens campaign.
“Ultimately what you are trying to achieve is to show why squash would be an amazing Olympic sport,” he told SportBusiness International. “We’ve already been through it with our International Rugby Board rugby sevens campaign.
“The IOC has a range of criteria, a very thorough evaluation and assessment process. Any sport has got be able to tick those boxes and offer something to the IOC that enhances the Games.
“Obviously you are building on previous campaigns, showing squash has listened and learnt, and showing that the sport has continued to develop and grow, also continuing to innovate in terms of spectators and television.
“There is a very good story to tell about the global reach of the sport. Squash’s popularity in a lot of the emerging markets is remarkable.”
Squash faces competition from baseball, softball, karate, roller sports, squash, sports climbing, wakeboard and wushu, with insiders backing softball and squash due to the IOC’s push to get more women into the Olympics.
Lee points to the success of countries entering the Olympic bidding process on a third consecutive occasion, claiming the industry has learnt from feedback given by the IOC: “A lot of work has been done into how to develop urban squash as courts can be erected in city environments.
“The sport has many different qualities and we need to emphasise in this campaign in particular how it can continue to grow. ‘Third bids’ we have worked on were Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018, so the third bid can be an advantage as you have developed a certain understanding of your case, developed certain networks, and listened to the advice already given.
“So coming for a third time is not necessarily a risk, but it is actually an advantage. In many countries of the world, to get public funding, to get it into the schools, you need it to be an Olympic sport.
“For a sport like squash to have Olympic recognition would mean you can perhaps apply for public money and crucially become part of the school curriculum.
“Squash is a mature, established, global sport. It has two professional tours that are very successful for men and women. So there are lot of things already in place there but obviously Olympic inclusion can be a great boost.”
For the full insight see the latest edition of SportBusiness International published September 1.
