In one month, the 2022 International University Sports Federation (FISU) Squash Championships get underway in Giza, Egypt (7-13 November 2022).
The FISU World University Squash Championship comprises of men’s and women’s championships as well as a mixed team championship played over seven days. Competitors at the championship represent the nation of their citizenship rather than their individual university.
Squash has been a mainstay of the World University Championships sports programme since Maastricht, Netherlands, 1996. Due to the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the last FISU World University Squash Championships, which were to take place in Shanghai, China, in 2021, were cancelled. The last time the event took place was in 2018 in Birmingham, England, where Great Britain took the team title and English duo Joshua Masters and Lily Taylor took the individual men’s and women’s titles, respectively.
Hosts Egypt, a dominant force on the professional circuit, boast an impressive record in the event which has seen many players go on to be legends of the game. For Egypt, past World University Champions Karim Darwish, Ramy Ashour and Raneem El Welily have all progressed to the World No.1 ranking.
Speaking earlier, WSF President Zena Wooldridge, OBE – who chaired FISU’s International Technical Committee for squash until recently handing over the reins to Cyrus Poncha of India – said: “I’m really excited for this year’s FISU World University Championship Squash in Giza. University sport is a vital asset to squash: we see so many of the world’s top players come through this pathway and the growth of the game at this level is something that is at the core of WSF strategy.
“After four years away, it’s wonderful to see the Championship return, and where better than one of the world’s great squash nations? I have every confidence that the upcoming Championship will attract a great number of rising stars to display their talents for the countries and that Egypt will put on a wonderful event for all.”
FISU Director General, Paulo Ferreira, said: “The 2022 FISU World University Championship Squash in the city of New Giza would not be possible without the support of the Organising Committee and the World Squash Federation under the leadership of Ms. Zena Wooldridge.
“Ms. Wooldridge was our FISU Technical Committee Chair for squash and it is because of her dedication and professional work that the sport has grown so rapidly in the university sport community. We wish President Wooldridge, the World Squash Federation as well as the host city of New Giza the best of luck for their preparations.”