Press Conference By Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng In Garden Hotel, Kuala Lumpur On 11.1.2014.
Penang will host the 30th WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2013 on March 14-21 2014 in PISA Stadium, Penang. This follows the cancellation of the 2013 Women’s World Championship when both Hong Kong and Egypt rejected proposals to organise it last year.
Penang aspires to be a sporting city as part of clean, green, healthy and safe Penang. WSA’s agreement to permit Penang to host this event is recognition that Penang has the facilities, amenities and infrastructure of a fitting location for a world event as well as the experience and expertise to organise a world championship.
The cancellation last year meant world No. 1 Nicol David will keep her world crown for an extended period. The Penang state government felt that is was a real shame that Penang’s very own world squash queen will not be able to add to her already impressive collection of seven world titles earned in 2005, 2006, 2008- 2012. Malaysians, especially Penangites, are eagerly awaiting her to defend her title for a record eighth time.
For this reason, the Penang state government decided to step in to allow the 2013 championship to continue as well as give our Penangites an unique opportunity to see our very own squash queen in action, and hopefully live up to expectations by winning the World title again. The Women’s Squash Association (WSA) premier event, which may cost up to RM1 million, will involve a prize money of USD 120,000.
The venue must be of a good standard and have quality facilities for players, press officials and public, plus space for business hospitality, trade exhibitions and public/player catering. A permanent show court or demountable all-glass court must be used for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the Championship.
This world championship would generates truly worldwide TV and general media coverage beginning with the championship announcement and continuing both internationally and locally until the start of the event and then throughout the championship itself.
SquashTV programming and streaming will ensure that the action is seen widely across the world. To this is added written media, websites and radio coverage generated by the WSA Media Service. An iconic, sporting, entertainment, shopping mall or other style of venue can be used for the all-glass court (PISA).
The Women’s World Championship feature a 32 player main draw played over 5 / 6 days as agreed, and a preceding maximum 64 player qualification draw played over 3 days. World class players from 20 countries will be involved.
LIM GUAN ENG
—–Mandarin Version —-
槟城州首席部长林冠英于2014年1月11日在吉隆坡花园酒店发表的文告。
槟城将于2014年3月14至21日在槟城湖内国际体育馆主办2013年第30届世界女子壁球大赛。
槟城将于2014年3月14至21日在槟城湖内国际体育馆主办2013年第30届世界女子壁球大赛。2013年世界女子壁球大赛，随着去年香港及埃及相继拒绝承办曾被迫一度腰斩。
为了符合更干净、绿化、健康及安全的城市大方向，槟城立志要成为一座爱好运动的城市。世界女子壁球总会允许槟城主办这项国际赛事，是肯定槟城的设备、相关赛事设施及基础设施可以举办世界级活动，还有槟城的经验及专业有能力主办这项世界大赛。
随着去年赛事被腰斩，意味着世界第一的妮科大卫自动获得延长保留其世界冠军头衔。槟城州政府对于槟城自家的世界壁球王后无法继2005、2006及2008至2012称霸7届世界冠军之后，无法获得在2013年凭她的场上实力卫冕世界冠军觉得说不过去，因为马来西亚人，尤其是槟城人渴望看到妮科第8度成功卫冕世界冠军。
因此，槟城州政府决定毛遂自荐让2013年世界女子壁球大赛重生，同时让槟城人有个特别的机缘能现场亲睹我们槟城的壁球王后，希望能在江东父老面前再次举起世界冠军头衔。世界女子壁球总会的顶级赛事的举办费介于100万令吉，这将包括了12万美金的奖金。
赛事场地必须水准优良，能提供选手优良的设备、媒体负责人及公共管理负责人，同时可以提供公务住宿、展览场地、公众及选手的饮食地点。世界女子壁球大赛的八强、半决赛及冠军战必须是在永久式壁球场或是可拆卸式玻璃壁球场地中举行。
这项世界女子壁球大赛的宣布将会获得全世界国内外的国际性电子及各媒体广泛报导，直到该赛事主办那一天。
网上壁球电视台(SquashTV)将会确保世界各地的球迷能一起欣赏这项赛事，世界女子壁球总会将会在各相关纸媒、各相关网站及电台发布这项消息。槟城湖内国际体育馆，一座可以集合体育运动、娱乐、展场等综合型地标，将会安装全玻璃壁球场主办这项世界大赛。
届时，世界前32名种子选手将在5至6天内竞技争冠，之前3天，最多会有64位选手进行入选赛。这项赛事会有来自20个国家的世界级选手参与。
林冠英