BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — Squash, a dynamic racquet sport often described as “hitting a ball against the wall,” will make its long-awaited debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games. In an exclusive interview, Wang Ding, Director of the Competitive Sports Division at China’s Multi Ball Sports Management Center, outlined how the country is building its national team from the ground up and preparing for this historic opportunity.

A Fresh Start: Cross-Sport Talent Transfers and Professional Training

In April 2024, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially confirmed squash as a new Olympic event for LA 2028, featuring men’s and women’s singles competitions with 16 athletes in each draw and two gold medals at stake.

Globally, Egypt leads the sport with its highly professional system, strong grassroots base, and world-class tactical skills. The U.S., U.K., and France are also strong contenders, while in Asia, nations such as Malaysia, India, and Pakistan have earned competitive accolades on the world stage.

“China has just started developing its professional squash program and doesn’t yet have full-time professional players,” Wang said. “But despite the gap, we’re committed to catching up.”

To accelerate team formation, the Multi Ball Sports Management Center initiated cross-sport recruitment in August 2024, selecting talented athletes aged 15 to 22 from sports like badminton and tennis. The current roster includes nearly 20 carefully chosen transfer athletes, a number of domestic student players, and a few overseas-based athletes who return for key competitions.

In January 2025, Egypt’s Islam was appointed as head coach of the newly formed Chinese national team. Under his leadership, the team began its new training cycle. At the Asian Junior Team Championships in February, although China placed 14th in the men’s division and 9th in the women’s, their visible progress was praised by competing nations.

While official qualification rules for squash at LA 2028 have not yet been announced, it is widely expected that international rankings will play a key role. With Chinese players starting with virtually no ranking points, Olympic qualification remains a formidable challenge.

To address this, the Multi Ball Sports Management Center has partnered with the Professional Squash Association (PSA) to integrate China’s National Championships and Youth Championships into the PSA World Ranking system. It has also reinstated the China Open and launched five new stops on the China Squash Tour, creating more opportunities for athletes to earn international points.

“Each event may offer limited points, but consistent domestic performance will soon qualify our players for higher-level PSA tournaments,” Wang explained. “From 2026 onward, our top athletes will begin targeting mid- to high-level international competitions to accumulate points and enhance their competitiveness.”

“While we’re starting from a tough position, team morale is high. Many of these young players have solid foundations from years of training in other sports. Once they adapt to squash, their progress is rapid. Given another year of consistent training, I believe we’ll become competitive in Asia.”

Long-Term Development: Three-Tier Talent Pipeline and Industry Integration

While cross-sport talent transfers are a short-term strategy, the Multi Ball Sports Management Center has adopted a long-term vision for sustainable growth, built on a three-tier model: sports schools, social clubs, and campus promotion.

In 2023, Yancheng Sports School in Jiangsu became the first in China to launch a squash program. In 2024, sports schools in Shanghai’s Jinshan and Yangpu districts followed suit, and this year, Longyan Sports School in Fujian has begun recruiting and training young squash players. The center plans to introduce squash programs in 20 sports schools nationwide over the next five years to develop a deep pool of future elite athletes. Meanwhile, the formation of provincial-level professional teams in places like Sichuan and Fujian is helping complete the sport’s competitive structure in China.

At the club level, squash has seen two decades of steady growth in China, with over 200 clubs now operating across the country. The Multi Ball Sports Management Center plans to strengthen support for clubs by offering public services, enhancing media outreach, organizing events, improving governance, and encouraging clubs to contribute to both grassroots promotion and elite player development. In January, two players from Beijing and Shanghai clubs reached the quarterfinals of the British Junior Open, showcasing the rising potential of Chinese squash.

In addition, squash’s low-risk nature and space-efficient setup make it ideal for school settings. This year, selected primary and secondary schools will pilot squash programs, exploring new pathways for promoting the sport at the grassroots level.

“Since squash was confirmed as an Olympic sport, we’ve seen over 30% growth in both the number of clubs and overall participation,” Wang noted. “Experts from the sports and industry sectors believe squash’s compact, fast, and skill-based style is well-suited to China’s urban environment. Whether in terms of public fitness, Olympic performance, or industry development, squash holds tremendous promise.”

He also highlighted the sport’s unique advantages for city dwellers. “Squash requires quick movement, intense focus, and frequent swings. It provides a high-intensity workout in just 30 minutes. Many office workers enjoy it during lunch breaks or after work. Some clubs are even built inside office buildings, unaffected by weather and offering privacy and convenience.”

A Promising Path Forward

With the LA 2028 Olympics on the horizon, China is embracing both the opportunities and challenges of squash’s Olympic debut. Through long-term planning, talent development, and support for grassroots and professional ecosystems, squash in China is poised for a breakthrough.

“By riding the Olympic momentum, developing a strong talent pipeline, and nurturing the sport’s industry potential,” Wang concluded, “we believe squash can make meaningful contributions to building a healthier and more athletic nation.”