KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — A number of PSA World Tour players have come out on social media to respond to the decision by the Tokyo Olympic Games Organising Committee to leave squash from the list of recommended sports up for inclusion at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Baseball/softball, surfing, karate, skateboarding and sport climbing have been recommended ahead of squash.

The squash community, professional players among them, has been “devastated” by the decision.

“Have no words to describe how disappointing this is becoming,” world No. 1 Mohamed Elshorbagy of Egypt tweeted, in a Twitter account reported in today.

World No. 4 Alison Waters added: “Well done IOC, another great decision ….. Not!! #Tokyo2020.”

The World Squash Federation (WSF) in a statement admitted they were devastated by the decision not to include a sport that is clearly flourishing.

“After our 12-year journey to join the Olympic Games programme, and the opportunity of a ‘second chance’ after the heart-break of missing out in our first 2020 bid in Buenos Aires two years ago, I am utterly devastated on behalf of our great sport that our dream of taking part in the Tokyo Games cannot now be realised,” said WSF president Narayana Ramachandran.

Professional Squash Association (PSA) chief executive Alex Gough said the sport should remain positive despite the latest blow to its Olympic aspirations.

Squash still had plenty to be positive about, said Gough on the PSA World Tour website.

“The Olympic Games should be the pinnacle of any athlete’s career and inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Games would be a defining moment for squash and our athletes, and to know that dream is once again out of reach is naturally a difficult proposition for the sport,” PSA World Tour quoted Gough as saying.

“But I feel we can take a lot of positives from the huge ground we have over the last decade — transitioning into a bourgeoning global sport that is now broadcast in almost 100 countries worldwide and which has witnessed increases in player earnings by over 20 per cent so far in 2015 alone.

“As a sport, squash is committed to driving forward equality, both in revenue earning potential and playing opportunities across both sexes, having already made huge strides towards parity over the past 12 months.

“Squash also has one of the cleanest drug records of any professional sport in the world and boasts a truly global footprint that many other sports cannot match. Everyone in the sport can feel truly proud of where we are.”

Gough said squash players regularly covered more than 4km in a match. They are among the fittest athletes in the world and as a sport, can be enjoyed equally at beginner level and elite.

“We feel that we perfectly epitomise the characteristics desired by the IOC of an Olympic sport,” said Gough.

“And as a cost-effective sport, requiring just 64 athletes across both a men’s and women’s event and with the ability to be played in any location, we would have had a limited impact on the Games’ budget and offer Tokyo the opportunity to showcase their city in a way unmatched by any other sport.

“Through three previous unsuccessful attempts to gain inclusion into the Games we have addressed all the issues and concerns the IOC have had regarding the sport and while it is difficult to accept that work will not lead to inclusion at the ultimate sporting event, we are buoyed by the strides the sport continues to take and we continue to work tirelessly to ensure the sport earns the global recognition it truly deserves.”