Squash deserves to be in Olympics: Dipika

India squash star Dipika Pallikal feels her sport deserves to be in Olympics and rue not being able to compete in the Summer Games. On Sunday, wrestling was reinstated in the Olympics for 2020 and 2024 editions during the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session. 

‘It is very disappointing to have missed out again. I am gutted. We have evolved as a sport and everyone out there knows that we deserved to be in the Olympics,’ Pallikal said on Monday from Kuala Lumpur where she will compete at the Malaysian Open beginning Tuesday. 

Pallikal, the first Indian to break into the top-10 of world rankings, said she was proud of the bid put up for squash. ‘We can hold our heads high after what we have done to get squash where it is in the last four years. We are not losing anything, the Olympics is losing out on not having the sport in its programme,’ she said.

‘People talk about having global icons in wrestling and I don’t even know one. Whereas most people know about World No.1 Nicol David. It is disheartening that we are not there when we know we deserve to be there. We have a great sport, great federation and great tour,’ she said.