Squash Australia still blowing hot air

Published: 11 Mar 2008 - 22:45 by Viper

Updated: 26 Sep 2008 - 07:08

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"Those folks down under who run Australian squash must really think the rest of the world is as dumb/naïve (hoose favourite word) as they are. They mis-treated Carol Owens when she was at the top, and so she refused to play for them and went off to New Zealand and finally took out citizenship there.

Natalie Grinham - will play for Holland. (photo:©2008 Alex Wan)

Then they fiddled the selection process for their women’s teams which upset the Grinham sisters. It seems the selection process was carefully laid down except for one clause that allowed the selectors to ignore all the rules if they thought fit and select another player who was not good enough. The Grinham sisters insisted that the rules be changed to avoid any sort of favoritism. Although Squash Austalia promised changes, they were never made, so the Grinham sisters refused to play for Australia in the world team championships. Squash Australia issued a press release that was pitiful in its attempt to put positive spin on a nasty situation. They blah –blahed about giving young players a chance, without mentioning the Grinham boycott. It cost Australia a world team title. They still had not changed two years later; it cost them another world team title. And now that Natalie Grinham has taken up Dutch nationality – to match that of her husband Tommy Berden, Squash Australia issues another press release wishing Natalie good luck, blah,blah,bleedin’ blah. No mention of the boycott and how Squash Australia’s administrators had screwed up.

Anyway I thought Natalie should have made the change a couple of years ago. She will be eligible to play for the Netherlands from next year, so with Vanessa Atkinson and Annelize Naude, the Dutch should have a pretty good chance at the title. Australia? They will come fourth or fifth. But in my heart Squash Australia will always be first in bullshit."

http://www.squashtalk.com/html2/news08/feb/globalgallery08-2.htm

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From Viper - 14 Mar 2008 - 23:33

Touche.

From rippa rit - 14 Mar 2008 - 22:04

Viper - the AGM is coming up on Sunday the 16th March.

From Viper - 14 Mar 2008 - 18:52

Quote :

"Sarah Fitzgerald is now on the Board of Squash Australia and I hope she gets to read this and can respond"

( If most of what one reads about SA is on the mark ) I hope she can give the tree an almighty shake.

Criticism can be warranted at times you know Rita.................

From rippa rit - 12 Mar 2008 - 08:00 - Updated: 12 Mar 2008 - 08:13

Sarah Fitzgerald is now on the Board of Squash Australia and I hope she gets to read this and can respond. She would be in a better position than most to comment on the situation from the players, administration, etc point of view.

I would love a job where all I had to do was point the finger - maybe it will not happen in this life, for the same pay.