Exclusive: 'Something we've treasured for a very long time', Saurav Ghosal on squash's inclusion for 2028 LA Olympics

India’s ace squash player Saurav Ghosal was delighted with the news that squash was added to the roster for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, adding that the athletes were ready to showcase their skills at the world’s grandest sporting stage. At the recent IOC Session in Mumbai, the session had approved squash as one of the five sports to be included in the LA 28 Olympics. Cricket, baseball/softball, flag football and lacrosse were also included for the LA Olympics that will be held in five years time. This will be the sport’s first-ever appearance at the Olympics. Saurav, who won silver in men’s singles at the Asian Games in Hangzhou and helped the India men’s team win gold, said that the squash fraternity were “unbelievably happy” over the development.

“Everyone around the squash world is unbelievably happy to finally be an Olympic sport. It’s something that we’ve treasured for a very long time. We are deeply indebted and appreciated of the IOC and LA 28, for giving us this kind of vote of confidence as to how the sport has done in the last decade or so,” Saurav said during the Mic Up segment of the First Sports show hosted by Rupha Ramani. Saurav added that as athletes, he really hoped the inclusion of squash would add value to the Olympics. “We really hope we can add some value to the Olympics in 2028. As athletes, we are ready to showcase the world at the world’s biggest stage, that is the Olympics what our sport is about,” the 37-year-old added.