The Jonah Barrington Column: October 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 the Olympics and Mostafa Asal before turning his attention to the world’s leading woman ahead of the U.S. Open.

By Jonah Barrington

On the Olympics…

It is the Olympic bid once again and I am now losing count of all the proposals to the IOC.

I am a positive person, but with regard to this eternal farce, I have almost lost the will to live.

I have always taken our rejection personally, as I was interviewed in 1966 after my first British Open win and asked about the Olympics.

I stated then that it would be a dream, second only to the British Open.

20 years earlier (1946) and I was five, I went on foot with my brother Nick and sister Geraldine (sadly both gone) to meet Harold Abrahams, the 100 metres gold medallist in 1924 (in Paris) who was on holiday in our little village.

Harold walked with us for two miles home holding my hand all the way!

He also sent us his Olympic book of 1948 and 1952 and I have never forgotten that.

We have always survived without the benefits that come with Olympic status – significant publicity, medals for various countries and the realisation of more funding from various governing bodies.

That now for me is merely a bonus as we have done it without.

Now I have reached the point where I suggest parachuting becomes an Olympic sport and I would cheerfully assist the Olympic fat cats out of that plane.

I was never once asked by the WSF (World Squash Federation) for input. As it happens, and another bizarre twist, the ex-president, Jacques Rogge, as a young teenager had two holidays with my family in Cornwall – interesting connection!

When president, he was determined to see rugby in the Olympics and of course I am not suggesting anything am I?!

There have been many good people in squash administration (Andrew Shelley remains the standout) but I have little faith in amateur(ish) squash organisations, and indeed never will.

So we have consistently been disrespected and insulted and yet again I fear there will be frustration and overwhelming disappointment in our camp.

India has the crucial IOC meeting on home territory (Mumbai) and I will guarantee that cricket, anonymous to most countries on the planet but with a huge Indian franchise and an IOC member linked to that, will be massively promoted on site.

Perhaps fridge cricket might be on offer – ever played that?

Baseball/softball will be up front with the games in the USA – again financially very powerful. We have never had an inside track, few friends and someone very properly persuasive like Vladimir (Putin) really on our side!

On Mostafa Asal…

Now I must come to Mostafa Asal, who has been on a retreat with refereeing overlord Lee Drew and the inestimable James Willstrop.

I scarcely can believe I am writing this, but all credit to Mostafa for openly admitting and addressing his very tricky situation.

Please though let us not forget that squash is the most gladiatorial of the non-contact sports and the leading male proponents of every generation, almost without exception, have played with at least some suggestion of the darker arts.

It is certainly no different nowadays and despite the current filming microscope, most participants in the top matches sidle, on occasion, across the boundary of fair play.

Almost all at some stage have inadvertently blocked out the enemy. I have seen that clip from the past of the mighty David Palmer and the brilliant Jonathon Power – even James ‘W’ (Willstrop) was castigated by Nick Matthew (never himself a choirboy) although my mate Geoffrey Hunt always seemed immune from this particular virus, but then he did win most of the time anyway!

So good luck to Mostafa – an exceptional talent who I just want to see playing again.

On the World’s Leading Female Players…

I have commented so many times over the years on how the leading women have conducted themselves on court, with the superstar frontrunners providing the best level I have ever had the good fortune to see, apart from what in retrospect will be seen as a conduct blip in the PSA World Tour Finals.

I would like to think the terrific duo will understand that criticism was warranted and that messages will register with one or two high profile youngsters on the tour.

Hania (El Hammamy) was happily back on focus in Qatar and well deserved to take the title.

I wish Nouran (Gohar) a quick return to full fitness. No woman in 100 years of competition could have in any way matched her power ‘A-game’ -although the incomparable Heather McKay possibly struck the ball better.

Nour El Tayeb took the South Western trophy and continues to be an inspiration to Ali and the rest of us.

Now on to Philadelphia!