Squash For 2016 Day is tuning up for a high-volume launch on Saturday May 23rd with a leading rock star staging a spectacular stunt to support the game’s bid for inclusion in the 2016 Olympics.

Phil Buscke, a guitarist with New Zealand hard rock band The Datsuns, will be dressed in his Squash For 2016 T-shirt as he does a bungee jump from Auckland Harbour Bridge.

Buscke, who used to play A grade squash in New Zealand and was a member of the Kiwis' high performance squad before The Datsuns gained international fame, says he is determined to help raise the profile of the game in its crucial build-up to the Olympic voting process.

Phil said: "I've been asked to do a lot of things by Squash New Zealand in the past, but I never thought they'd ask me to jump off a bridge."

On the Olympic bid, he added: "All I can say is, if I'm throwing myself off a bridge, squash had better bloody well get in!"

On splitting his time between recording and touring with The Datsuns and playing squash, he said: "I don't get much time to play when I'm overseas, but I'm planning to spend a bit more time at home in future and would like to do a bit of coaching."

Squash 2016 Day on May 23 is a fun-filled worldwide festival of activities to promote the Olympic bid and attract new participants to the sport.

Major events are taking place all over the globe with special focus on the four cities bidding to host the 2016 Games, namely Chicago, Madrid, Rio and Tokyo.

In the USA, squash legends Jonathon Power and John White will be appearing in the 100-a-side Battle Of The Border match at the Apawamis Club in Connecticut. Also there will be women's world No2 Natalie Grainger, fresh from her appearance in the final of the Cayman Islands Open.

Squash will also be getting the Hollywood treatment in Los Angeles, where the local squash community are planning a massive day of activities.

Squash fans will be taking to the streets in a number of cities, including London, to wave Squash For 2016 Day banners in front of iconic buildings such as the Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

In Malaysia, women's world number one Nicol David will be involved in a Squash Open Day in her home town of Penang in collaboration between Squash Rackets Association of Malaysia and Squash Stars.

With similar activities taking place at key locations all over the world, Squash For 2016 Day organiser Alan Thatcher says: "We hope to build up a massive bank of images which will clearly illustrate squash's global appeal, which is one of the key messages of the sport's bid for
Olympic inclusion."

Clubs can register their Squash 2016 Day events on the World Squash Federation website www.worldsquash.org (or go direct to www.worldsquashday.com) and will have the opportunity to make instant donations to the Olympic Bid Fund.

Special T-shirts will be on sale featuring the Squash 2016 logo, with proceeds from each sale supporting the Bid Fund.  Orders can be placed with Kentbridge Sports via www.kentbridgesports.co.uk - while T-shirt sales in the USA are being co-ordinated by the Harrow brand via their website www.harrowsports.com