The Jonah Barrington Column: November 2023

One of the sport’s greatest thinkers and a pioneer for the professional game, Jonah Barrington offers his thoughts on all of squash’s biggest talking points in his monthly column – written exclusively for the PSA World Tour website.

In this month’s column, Jonah discusses squash’s inclusion in the Olympics as well as the resurgence of Karim Abdel Gawad.

By Jonah Barrington

[Former World Squash Federation Chief Executive] Andrew Shelley has successfully run more major squash tournaments than anyone in the history of the game.

Like the Commonwealth Games for starters. He is by some distance (I’m not objective) the leading administrator in that long heritage.

He’s done so since 1976 with the Squash Rackets Association, still at the time the de facto governing body of the world game, then with WISPA (Women’s International Squash Players Association) linking with the men (now PSA) and a further lengthy phase with the World Squash Federation. He now runs the fascinating World Squash Library.

Andrew remains exceedingly fit and well capable of being co-opted to tournament duty. His mother, by the way is 96 and still drives and has just dealt with two speeding tickets!

I met up with him and we quickly headed into Olympic mode. Discussing the long period of rejection in which the IOC either dismissed our sport or perhaps even more dishearteningly played the game of possibility and probability, with not the slightest scintilla of intent.

He loves the Olympics as I do, but his regard to those who make the decisions is understandably limited.

As always, he retains his customary polite exterior where I feel my Celtic background has never fully permitted that particular luxury.

Someone somewhere has to speak his or her mind – like [Squash Stories Founder] Jamie Maddox!

I have been led to believe that there will only be a 32-draw for women and men in the LA Games. There will be no doubles or a team’s event.

I am personally content about the former, as it has never showcased the gladiatorial aspect of our game, although it does provide a fun outlet for youngsters primarily.

I remember (not a lot actually sometimes!) playing an experimental three-day Davis Cup style event in Sheffield at Abbeydale partnering Gogi Alauddin against Geoff Hunt and Ken Hiscoe.

The match lasted little short of three hours and scarcely raised a clap from the bewildered and bored but packed crowd, and gradually turned the combatants into pale shadows of their former selves.

Ken, heavily built, was essentially planted in the forecourt against the willow-the-wisp Gogi and could barely fulfil his singles obligation on the following day (exceedingly painful lower back and knees).

Geoff and I had never spent so much time in conversation and proximity at the back of the court – almost a blossoming friendship as we almost lost the will to live.  

I would strongly endorse a team’s event which would further demonstrate all the great qualities of our sport at the highest level.

There is also no guarantee we will be there for 2032 – just another twist.

Breakdancing, Andrew reminded me, will debut in Paris but was excluded this year, 2023, from Los Angeles.

This could well be repeated in 2027 when one or some sports in a similar position may be excluded – a lottery again.

But please let’s make it as difficult as possible for squash to ever be given a red card.

We have to utilise all our ingenuity to put our game right in the faces of the IOC and above all the public, and from this day forward sell our beautiful product, most especially to a young generation.

We must take all existing opportunities to make an impactful, creative and all-embracing Olympic qualifying event across Europe, Pan America, Asia, Oceania, the Middle East and involve all governing bodies throughout the planet in a massive build up to final entry.

Andrew Shelley, yes I come back to him once again, virtually encapsulated the way forward in the space of 15 minutes.

Now Tim Garner, the organiser of the iconic Canary Wharf Classic for so many marvellous years, get the old spring chicken on board, pick his brains and whoever may be the designated mastermind, don’t miss this bus!

It was so good to see the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’, otherwise known as Karim Abdel Gawad, win the titles in Zurich and Malaysia.

He is still a very fine player and great talent and was the World No.1 during a dazzling, yet all too short period a few years ago.

He seems, happily now, to be comparatively injury free (all men and women top pros tend to carry niggles from event to event).

He is reminding us of that gift, yet he is not yet at that previous and glorious level of his pomp.

I do not expect Mostafa Asal to be functioning fully yet. There is much going through his mind, but I will not be surprised if an early triumph in a far distant land is looming. Calm, objective refereeing (not that easy at times) will be required.

Peter Marshall would have been a World Champion and World No.1. He had pushed the extraordinary Jansher Khan to the limit, and the Pakistani’s lessening motivation for training and the toll on his body was becoming increasingly obvious in our arena of extreme fitness.

Sadly, it was the 23-year-old who hit the deck – he became dreadfully ill and was desperately trying for some months to compete.

When he first came on court with me aged seven or eight at the Albany Club in Birmingham, like a little pipe-cleaner, he was already cracking these devastating double-handed lengths, and we have been close ever since.

I take great pleasure when in his 50s, with all the grotesque frustration and disappointment and still carrying the consequences of that illness, he continues to remind the squash world, with primary reports on social media, just how absolutely unique he is and that there will never be another like him.

Finally, I must mention a guy called Guido Grassi. He plays in a wheelchair and he has to take the wheels off just to get through the court.

There are so many inspirational people and stories connected to all sports, and Guido, my friend, you are for me right up there in the mix.

Go for it!