On the day of the Men's World Squash Team Championship final, which will be played between favourites England and title-holders Egypt in Paderborn, Germany, WSF President Ramachandran has praised the tournament for setting new standards in the organisation and presentation of Squash.
WSF President Ramachandran said: "Paderborn has proved to be a first class venue but it has also raised the bar in terms of how Squash can be presented to fans and sponsors. Over seven thousand spectators have attended the event so far this week and we've had an incredible atmosphere. The tournament has seen some exciting new innovations including using lights and music between each match on our show court to build excitement and really get the spectators engaged. 110 countries have taken live streaming of the games, all screened in HD.
"I am delighted to see these exciting innovations being embraced by our tournament partners as they can only help in our ambition to become an Olympic sport. It is now important that the sport builds on this momentum as we move forward and build our case for Olympic Games inclusion with the IOC and other influencers."
World No 1 Nick Matthew echoed President Ramachandran's comments, saying: "There has been a great buzz right across the tournament and the way music and the court lighting have been used to pump up the crowd has been great and really added to the atmosphere. This sort of innovation can only help in our goal to become an Olympic sport."
World No 3 Karim Darwish said: "The tournament has been a great showcase for Squash and our goal to be included in the 2020 Olympic Games. I cannot think of a greater honour than to represent my country in the Olympic Games. It would mean so much to me and would be the absolute pinnacle of my career."