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Jahangir Clobbers Corby to earn WSF Top Spot
By Martin Bronstein © 2002 SquashTalk; all rights of reproduction reserved.
Oct 26, 2002

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Jahangir Khan, as expected, was made president of the World Squash Federation, succeeding the very successful Susie Simcock, who stepped downafter six years – the maximum allowed by the present rules.

Khan’s victory put paid to the aspirations of England’s Mike Corby who wanted to crown his recent list of titles with that of WSF president. He is president of England Squash, the British Hockey Association and, until this weekend, was vice–president of the WSF.

Jahangir Khan - legendary champion and now WSF President elect © SquashTalk archive

Corby was never going to win this contest; Khan is a global idol in the sport, while Corby, who won over 150 caps playing for Great Britain and England at squash and hockey, was hardly known outside the UK.

Jahangir Khan , now 38, dominated the sport in the eighties and into the nineties when he won a record 10 British Open and six World Open titles, and also established an unprecedented unbeaten run stretching more than five and
a half years. Even people outside the sport knew about Khan and his invincibility.In addition to being the first WSF President from Pakistan, Khan is only the second ever Pakistani to head an international sports federation.

Ironically, his success at world level comes six months after
the Pakistan squash autocracy removed him from any position within Pakistan
squash and he was fired from his job at Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) which has traditionally run the game with officers of the Pakistan Squash Federation having ranks such as Squadron Leader and Wing Commander.

Corby, an ex-Olympian in field hockey, was brought into the WSF as vice-president to bolster the sport’s claim for an Olympic place, a quest that was finally quashed this year by the new regime at the IOC. Corby, a voluble personality who has built up a chain of fitness centres in and around London, can be extraordinarily generous, holding WSF meetings at his huge mansion and chauffeuring his guests around in his Bentley or Aston Martin. He has also rescued two British Opens by underwriting any losses.

Countering this is Corby’s insistence on being in charge of any project with which he is associated. His fragile ego is now almost legendary. During the last British Open, Ian McKenzie, editor of Squash Player Magazine, printed a story about Corby’s dispute with the PSA. He was called by one of Corby’s employees and told that because of his ‘lack of support’ he would not be ‘accommodated’ at the Open in Manchester. McKenzie was the one British journalist who had to pay his own hotel room, even though his magazine had given more space to the event than any other magazine or website.

Corby’s sometimes overbearing manner has made enemies within the squash
community. And there were accusations that he always had his own agenda. There were even threats of resignations if Corby did get the presidency.

Khan, on the other hand, has proved an affable ambassador in his years as a WSF vice-president. He has always been shy and when he was first elected there were doubts that he could do the job. But he has grown into it and, according to Joyce Buckley of Ireland, who has just been re-elected as vice-president:

“Jahangir is much more at home now doing the presentations and is growing in
confidence at WSF meetings. He is still a little shy when you first meet him, but when he feels at home with you he relaxes and he can be very funny.”

In thanking the WSF delegates at the AGM in Kuala Lumpur Khan said:

"When I first joined the WSF Management Committee, it was because of my desire to do something productive for the game of squash after my retirement. I will now dedicate myself full-time to the WSF and do my level best to help promote the sport in all corners of the globe."

Jahangir's first act in his new role was to invite his predecessor to accept the role of Emeritus President of the WSF: "Susie Simcock has been a brilliant leader for our sport over the past six years, earning huge respect for us wherever she has been and winning the hearts of everybody within minutes of their meetings. I know I will be talking to her on a regular basis for advice over the coming months," said Jahangir.

This move to keep Simcock involved is understandable; she is a great ‘people’ person and was welcomed wherever she went because of her warm personality. In fact there was a move afoot by George Mieras, a long-time WSF hand, to have the rules changed to allow Simcock to serve a third, three-year term. However, she rejected this attempt saying she had been travelling far too much and she wanted to spend more time at home with her newly-retired husband. But there were rumours (unsubstantiated) of criticism and bad-mouthing from one or more WSF members and when Simcock was told of this, she said she would only stand if she had 100 percent
support. With these rumours, she felt this was not the case and so decided
to reject the offer.

Her appointment as Emeritus President will be greeted warmly throughout the squash world as will the news that HRH Tunku Imran, a former President and Emeritus President of the WSF from Malaysia, was elected to a new position of Patron. In addition to Ireland's Joyce Buckley, two new vice-presidents were also elected at the AGM: Neven Barbour, a past Chairman of New Zealand Squash, continues the New Zealand link with the Management Committee, and Sani Karim, of the Squash Rackets
Association of Malaysia.

Barbour a former New Zealand international and a respected administrator in New Zealand is another player who has the credentials to become president six years from now.

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