Squash Celebrates Breakthrough In Africa
The announcement that the 2006 Men's World Open Squash Championship will be staged in Egypt is the latest indication of the sport's rising significance on the continent of Africa.
The continent celebrated its first world number one squash player in April when Amr Shabana topped the rankings for the first time. The 26-year-old from Cairo became the first Egyptian to be crowned world champion in 2003 – then clinched the sport's premier title for a second time last December in Hong Kong.
Shabana will now seek to become the first world champion to defend his title on home soil for ten years when the 2006 event is staged alongside Egypt's famous pyramids in Giza - arguably the most spectacular setting ever for a sporting confrontation.
Squash is played in 27 countries in Africa, where there are more than 6,000 courts, and 21 National Federations are members of the World Squash Federation (WSF). In addition to Shabana, Egypt also boasts both World Junior champions – Ramy Ashour, who won the men's title in 2004 and will defend his trophy later this year, and Raneem El Weleily who secured the women's crown in July last year.
Egypt and South Africa are the dominant nations in Africa. "But there is a 'renaissance', particularly in countries like Botswana, Kenya and Mauritius, where new chairpersons have recently taken charge," commented South African Liz Addison, a member of the WSF Coaching & Development Committee.
Mauritius was represented in the squash events in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Australia for the first time after strengthening their relationship with their Olympic Committee following their hosting of the WSF AGM in 2004.
The highly successful Melbourne Games in March also saw participation by Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and Zambia. The men's plate event finished in an all-Kenyan final, while both Classic Plate titles went to South Africans - Clinton Leeuw winning the men's and Tenille Swartz, the only teenager in the women's draw, lifting the women's.
The world-class squash competition attracted a number of NOC officials, including Zambian President Mrs M C Moyo and Secretary General Ms Hazel Kennedy. The pair are preparing plans to host the 2011 All Africa Games in Lusaka, where it is hoped that squash will again be featured after being included in the 2003 Games in Abuja, Nigeria.
There are a number of Zambians playing in South African leagues in Johannesburg and Pretoria – including Lazarus Chilufya and Ray Simbule. Top-ranked Zambians Patrick Chifunda and Robbie Lingashi are based in America, while John Lingashi is in Namibia.
In an initiative organised by his racket brand Prince, England star Peter Nicol made a promotional tour to South Africa last month. Winner of two Commonwealth Games gold medals in Melbourne, Nicol was widely profiled on national TV, radio and the press in visits to Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town where he gave clinics and took on the country's top players in a series of exhibition matches.
"Squash is very lucky to have an African nation at the very top of the sport - I can't think of many sports that have World Champions from the Africa," said WSF Chief Executive Christian Leighton. "But even more important is the continent's potential. I think sport administrators and governments are beginning to realise that Squash is a sport in which African nations can excel and that is very encouraging."