World Open turned over to WSF
Jan 31, 2005, by Ron Beck, SquashTalk,
SquashTalk Independent News Service © 2005 all Rights Reserved;

Administrative Move Puts World Open Under WSF Control

Rodney Eyles and Peter Marshall in the 1997 World Open (Photo © 2005 by Debra Tessier)

It has long wrankled the WSF that the most important world title, the Men's World Open, was the only world title not under their control. Now, in an agreement seen as having positive implications for the potential of squash entry into the olympics, the PSA have turned over the title to the WSF.

In return the WSF has licensed back the operating rights to the event to PSA, so there will be little practical impact for most people. The only exception to that might be David Palmer - the PSA star who was just last week banned from WSF events for a year. It will remain to be seen whether the WSF seeks to ban Palmer from World Open participation this upcoming December.

The WSF inaugurated a World Amateur Individual Squash Championship in 1967, but as a growing number of players turned professional in the early 1970s, they demanded a World Open title. After a period of uncertainty until 1979, when both the Amateur and the World Open were played, the World Open became the premier Championship for male players and formed the highlight of the annual PSA Tour calendar.

Until this agreement was signed, the WSF owned all other World Squash titles, including the Men's and Women's World Team Championships and the Women's World Open Championship. This new initiative places all World titles directly in WSF ownership and reinforces the unity of the sport as it awaits the decision in July as to whether it will be included on the programme of the Olympic Games in 2012.

Jahangir Khan, President of the WSF, commented: "As a winner of eight World Open and World Amateur titles, I am delighted to have signed this ground-breaking agreement on behalf of the WSF. I am convinced that there is no other sport in the world where the ties between the professional organisations and the International Federation are so close and where such excellent cooperation exists.

"We will continue to work closely with PSA and the Women's International Squash Players' Association to ensure that all 154 Squash playing nations are encouraged to stage Men's and Women's events, leading to the climax of the two World Open Championships."

Jack Herrick, Chairman of the PSA, said: "At meetings between the PSA and the WSF in Mauritius and Qatar late last year, we totalled up the positives and negatives concerning the transfer of ownership of the Men's World Open title from the PSA to the WSF. There were plenty of positives and zero negatives. Since the WSF lacked only the Men's World Open title in its repertoire of world titles, this transfer fills that gap and gives the WSF greater leverage, especially in the momentum building daily for inclusion of squash in the Olympic Games.

"From the standpoint of the PSA, having licensed back the operating rights to the Men's World Open, it too increases its leverage knowing that over 150 nations will contribute to making the most important event in men's squash a success each and every year. This is a win-win situation," added Herrick.

The agreements for ownership of the title and licensing of the operating rights were signed for implementation from 1 January 2005.

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