Same tin height won’t affect players, says WSF assessor

KARACHI: World Squash Federation’s assessor from Pakistan Fahim Gul has said that different tin heights of squash courts for juniors and professional players is a big issue.

“This is a big issue and I can say one of the issues that is preventing the inclusion of squash in the Olympics,” said Fahim while talking to ‘The News’. He added that the tin height should be standardised at 17 inches for all categories because the game of squash has become quite open now. “Uniform tin height for all category players doesn’t have any impact on them. Also, there should not be two sets of rules in a game,” reasoned Fahim.

It is to be noted that tin height of squash courts for junior players is 19 inches and 17 for professional players. In the last Annual General Meeting of World Squash Federation (WSF), a motion was moved by Squash Rackets Association of Malaysia (SRAM) in this regard and Pakistan seconded that motion.

SRAM proposed that the tin height for all levels of competition should be standardised at 17 inches. The rationale behind the move was to have a uniform court for all competitions as juniors players do not find any difficulty in playing on courts with 17 inches tin.

“This would also avoid the hassle of having to construct a movable tin. “There will be initial problem of converting the old courts but once done all new courts will be constructed to this new 17 inches tin,” stated SRAM.

But the motion failed. The Athletes Commission stated: “Too many recreational players already struggle to have lengthy rallies and often turn to Racketball as they age. This [the standardization of tin height] would not improve the sport as a whole and there is not a need for it.

“The tin is 17 inches for professionals as they are professional athletes. . . ; recreational players, juniors and masters don’t possess the same attributes and will struggle to cope with a lower tin,” it said.