Egyptian PSA Event Ends
June 7 2005, by Martin Bronstein reporting from London
Squashtalk Independent News; © 2005 SquashTalk LLC
Photo © 2005 Stephen J Line

Al-Ahram Return Cashed Out

The much awaited return of the Al-Ahram tournament, due to start next week, has been cancelled due to sponsorship problems. This a huge disappointment for not only the PSA members who had entered, but for the sport of squash as a whole.

It was the first Al-Ahram tournament in front of the Pyramids of Gisa back in 1996 that put squash on to the front pages of newspapers around the world. The glittering glass court with its breathtaking backdrop of the floodlit Pyramids made a stunning photograph and editors rushed to use it. Since then this memorable image has been reprinted in every possible medium either for editorial or promotional purposes. It is the one photo that could help squash get into the Olympics.

That first Al Ahram International cost the Egyptian government around one million dollars and journalists were flown in from around the world. The Al-Ahram run lasted five years, Jansher Khan winning in 1996, Peter Nicol in ’97,200 and 2001 and Egyptian star Ahmed Barada in 1998.

In the period 1996-2001 Egypt led the world in staging major tournaments, both PSA and WISPA benefiting from surge. World championships were also held in Cairo’s comprehensive club facilities. It was thought that it was Barada’s talent in the top echelon of the sports that was the sparkplug for this Egyptian largesse. Each year of the AlAhram, the five thousand seats around the court were filled with adoring Egyptians of all ages who were bussed in to cheer on one of Egypt’s few world sporting stars.

With Barada’s retirement due to a mysterious stabbing and the stress of stardom, Egyptian participation dropped away. Although there is a still a WISPA tournament each year in Hurghada, on the Red Seas, which is almost as picturesque, and the minor Heliopolis tournament in Cairo , Egyptian activity has never equalled the heights of fame that the Al-Ahram produced.

NEW ... Get the New Jonathon Power Instruction Video at the SquashTalk eStore!

\

Squashtalk.com All materials © 1999-2005. Communicate with us at info@squashtalk.com.
Published by Squashtalk LLC, 409 Massachusetts Ave, Suite 102, Acton, MA 01720 USA, Editor and Publisher Ron Beck,
Graphics editor Debra Tessier Send comments, ideas, contributions and feedback to the webmaster.
Copyright © 1999-2005 SquashTalk, all rights reserved, may not be reproduced in any form except for one-time personal use.