adminA tough cookie on the court, the 29-year-old’s easy-going charm off it is helping propel the sport towards what she believes would be a golden new era.
The Malaysian seven-times World Open champion has already wowed tennis great Roger Federer to the cause and in May she will join a World Squash Federation (WSF) delegation to St Petersburg hoping to convince the IOC to give the frenetic racket sport the green light to debut at the 2020 Games.
Twice it had the door slammed in its face, failing to convince the IOC that it deserved its place at London 2012 or at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016 when golf was preferred.
After some serious re-branding and with David as its figurehead, however, there is a sense of quiet optimism.
Softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, wakeboarding and wushu as well as wrestling, which was surprisingly dropped from the IOC’s list of core sports for the 2020 Games, all have compelling cases for inclusion.
And with the IOC likely to shortlist three sports in May before a final decision in September there will be some anxious weeks ahead for David.
He admits it will be a “nerve-racking” 30 minutes when she joins the squash delegation to make its final presentation in the Russian city. — Eurosport.
Online Reporter