KEY POINTS:
Squash has been promoted to "core sport" status at the Commonwealth Games.
The executive board of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) confirmed their decision at a recent meeting in Malaysia, agreeing it will be obligatory to include squash on future Games programmes.
It joins athletics, badminton, boxing, hockey, lawn bowls, netball, rugby sevens, swimming and weightlifting in that category.
"Squash's addition to the list of core sports for future editions of the Commonwealth Games is reflective of this and the sport's overall depth and quality within the Commonwealth today," said New Zealand's Michael Hooper, chief executive of the CGF.
"Since the sport's introduction to the Games programme in 1998, the level of participation and excellence continues to grow and at the recent Commonwealth Games in Melbourne we saw 29 participating nations.
"With the commitment to the sport's further development across the Commonwealth by World Squash, we expect to see this continue to rise."
Jahangir Khan, the record ten-times British Open champion who is president of the World Squash Federation (WSF) was delighted.
"Squash and the Commonwealth Games form a natural partnership because the sport is played in virtually every Commonwealth country and the level is truly world-class, as demonstrated in Melbourne."
- NZPA
