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11/10/2004
Jahangir Khan Re-Elected As WSF President
Jahangir Khan has been unanimously re-elected as President of the World Squash Federation at the International Federation's 34th Annual General Meeting in Casa Noyale, Mauritius ...
wsf agm 2004
 Jahangir Re-elected as President
The squash icon, who dominated the sport two decades ago when he won a
record ten British Open titles and established an unbeaten record for
more than five years, will serve a further two years as President after
first being elected in 2002, following four years as a Vice President.
"It has been a tremendous last six years and it is a privilege to be
able to work for the federation in this capacity - I thank you all,"
said Khan to the delegates after his election.
Fifty seven delegates representing member nations of the WSF attended
the three-day Conference and AGM in Mauritius, held for the first time
independently of a major World Championships.
L to R: Christian Leighton, the WSF CEO from January 2005; Joyce
Buckley, Vice President; Jahangir Khan, President; Mohamed El Menshawy,
the newly-elected Vice President; and Sani Karim, Vice President.
WSF Elections
Joyce Buckley (Ireland) and Sani
Karim (Malaysia) were also re-elected
as Vice Presidents of the Federation. The third position, made
available following the retirement of New Zealand's Neven Barbour, was
won by Mohamed El Menshawy
from Egypt. On the announcement of his
election, Menshawy revealed that he would immediately resign his
position as President of the Egyptian Squash Association in order to
devote his time to the WSF.
One of Jahangir Khan's first decisions on his re-election was the
invitation to New Zealand's former President Susie Simcock to retain
her position as the Federation's Emeritus President.
A special guest in Mauritius was Christian
Leighton, the Chilean-born
Venezuelan who will become Chief Executive of the WSF in January on the
retirement of Ted Wallbutton.
The AGM was officially opened by Raviraj
Yerrigadoo, the Minister of
Sport for the Republic of Mauritius. "It is a privilege to
welcome distinguished representatives of the WSF from all over the
world to our island - the first ever such meeting of an international
sports federation in Mauritius," said the Minister.
"My government will continue to give its full support for squash in our
country - and wishes the sport all the luck in its bid to become an
Olympic sport in 2012," he added.
World Championship Events
In one of the most competitive series of World Championships' bids in
recent times, Canada won the
rights to stage the 2006 Women's World
Team Championships in Edmonton; South
Africa was elected to host the
World Masters Championships in Cape Town in 2006; India secured the
rights to the 2007 Men's World Team Championships; Hong Kong will stage
the 2007 Women's World Junior Championships (on the tenth anniversary
on Hong Kong becoming part of China); Switzerland
won the vote to stage
the 2008 Men's World Junior Championships; and New Zealand was given
the rights to host the World Masters Championships in 2008.
Furthermore, Australia presented
a bid to host the World Doubles
Championships in 2005 in advance of the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne
in 2006, and India put
forward a bid to stage the 2009 Women's World
Open in Delhi, the year before the Commonwealth Games will be held in
that city.
Special Awards
A proposal by the WSF Management Committee to nominate Australia's
Sarah Fitz-Gerald for inclusion
in the Squash Hall of Fame was
unanimously accepted by the delegates. Since becoming the World
Junior Champion in 1987, Fitz-Gerald went on to win 63 titles on the
WISPA World Tour, including a record five World Open crowns, as well as
being an outstanding ambassador for the sport as President of WISPA for
a decade. The award was collected on Fitz-Gerald's behalf by John
Holland, President of Squash Australia.
A special WSF award for 'outstanding contribution to World Squash' was
presented to Scotland's George Mieras
by President Jahangir Khan.
Mieras is Director of the WSF's Championships Committee and has
represented Scotland on the WSF since 1980.
Tributes to Ted
The AGM drew to a close with numerous tributes to departing CEO Ted
Wallbutton, led by former WSF Vice President Bob Finch and
Emeritus
President Susie Simcock. In the 14 years since Wallbutton was
appointed, the membership of the WSF has more than doubled and the
organisation has been completely restructured.
Christian Leighton flanked by
WSF President Jahangir Khan (left)
and the current WSF CEO Ted
Wallbutton
"Ted has made an enormous contribution to world squash over the period,
bringing significant management skills to the WSF. He will be
sorely missed and we wish him well in his retirement," said Finch.
WSF
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