The World Squash News service - sponsored jointly by the World Squash Federation (WSF), the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA) – celebrated a notable milestone at the weekend by producing its 5,000th edition.

Launched in October 1996, the sport's international media service has chronicled countless championships from the flourishing PSA and WISPA World Tours across all five continents; it has highlighted day-to-day news of more than 600 players competing full-time on the men's and women's Tours; has covered numerous WSF world championships across all age-ranges, in addition to the sport's presence in all but one of the major multi-sports Games around the world; and has nurtured the sport's long-time bid to join the Olympic Games programme.

The 5,000 reports over the past twelve and a half years highlight the fact that the sport - which boasts some 20 million players worldwide - has generated an average of more than one international news story each day over the period.

"It was an inspired initiative back in 1996 that brought the three key international bodies in Squash together to coordinate this vital news service – one which has ensured that the world's media have been able to rely on a steady diet of newsworthy material from the sport," said WSF Vice President Frank van Loon.

PSA Chief Executive Alex Gough agreed that the service had reached 'a huge milestone':

"The world of squash has been very fortunate to have someone as professional and diligent as Howard Harding over the past 12, nearly 13, years making sure that the game's news has been heard loud and clear across the planet.  The game has grown a lot over this time and Howard has done brilliantly keeping with the demand and responsibility."

WISPA Chief Executive Andrew Shelley also remarked:  "Squash needs to have a reliable, accurate and timely media service.  For nearly thirteen years squash we have certainly had that.  Every medium knows that they will receive all important news and results so that they can use it all or sift for their market.

"It is a service that squash cherishes and we are delighted to acknowledge the 5,000th release milestone from World Squash Media Director Howard Harding.

"As squash expands we look forward to the 10,000th coming along soon!"