:quality(75)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/elcomercio/KEIN43IPQFC4TFQLUMKIEOGOAM.jpg)
On Monday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has given the green light to the incorporation of five new sports in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Cricket, lacrosse, flag football, baseball, softball (the female variant of baseball), and squash will be the sports disciplines that will be added to the Olympic program. The latter stands out in Peru, as we have a great representative who currently occupies the second place in the world ranking of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) circuit: Diego Elias.
After these incorporations were announced, Niccolo Campriani, the sports director of the IOC, emphasized that "it's squash time," highlighting its global character by pointing out that among the top ten in the global ranking, whether in the male or female category, there are representatives from four different continents.
"On behalf of the entire squash world community, I would like to express my immense pleasure for the inclusion of squash in the LA28 Olympic Games. Squash is an incredibly dynamic, diverse, and demanding sport that fits perfectly with the Olympic Games," said Zena Wooldridge, president of the World Squash Federation.
On the other hand, due to this important selection, Diego Elias, 26 years old, who is considered Peru's main representative in this sport and has shown consistent performance over time, now has an excellent opportunity to win a medal in the upcoming Olympics. This represents a significant challenge in his career.
For now, the Peruvian athlete is preparing to participate in the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, where he will compete alongside our other compatriots, Alonso Escudero Roman and Rafael Thomas Galvez Zeuner. In addition, both Elias and race walker Kimberly Garcia will have the honor of being the flag bearers at the closing ceremony of this event.
This is how the new Olympic sports for Los Angeles 2028 were chosen
The approval took place in a show of hands vote in the recent IOC session, receiving strong support with only two votes against. It is important to note that the inclusion of these sports (cricket, lacrosse, flag football, baseball/softball, and squash) is limited to the 2028 Games, and their permanence in future editions is not assured.
What is squash?
Squash involves the use of rackets and is played with two players in singles or four players in doubles, on a court with four walls and a small rubber ball. Players take turns hitting the ball with their rackets, aiming for the playable surfaces of the court walls, avoiding the ball from touching the ground twice in a row.
Receive our newsletter: we will send you the best sports content, as Depor always does.