The Netherlands steps in as 2015 World Junior Squash Championships host

Habiba Mohamed and Diego Elías will be back to defend their titles at the World Junior Squash Championships ©WSF

The World Squash Federation (WSF) has announced that The Netherlands has stepped in to stage this year's World Junior Championships after Egypt's capital Cairo was stripped of the hosting rights because of terrorism fears.

The competition, scheduled for July 26 to August 4, will now be held in Eindhoven at the 15-court Squashtime Centre facility.

A terrorist attack on the Tunisian capital of Tunis, in which 21 people, including 17 tourists, were killed and 43 injured by ISIS gunmen in March forced the WSF to try to find a new location for the event, which also includes the Women’s Team Championships.

“After the very unfortunate need to relocate the event, we were very grateful that our friends from Netherlands - who have great facilities and extensive event experience - were in a position to offer an option that allows the cream of young players from all over the world to contest their world titles as scheduled,” WSF President N Ramachandran said.

“While we very much hope to return to Egypt soon, for this year we thank our new hosts.”

Hans Arends, chairman of the Dutch Squash Federation, promised his nation will be a more than able host.

“We are very happy to be able to help the WSF with organising the 2015 World Junior Squash Championships,” he said.

“We have an enthusiastic crew ready to make the tournament an unforgettable event for the players, staff and spectators.”

Dutch Squash Federation chairman Hans Arends says his nation is ready to step in and host the event after Cairo was stripped of the competition due to terrorism fears — Dutch Squash Federation chairman Hans Arends says his nation is ready to step in and host the World Junior Squash Championships after Cairo was stripped of the competition due to terrorism fears ©WSF

Cairo was elected as the World Junior Squash Championships host city in September and it would have been the first time the competition would have taken place in Egypt since 1996.

But the WSF felt it was too risky to hold a major sporting event there due to the volatile surrounding region and the unrest in the country itself.

In February last year a bomb attack on a tourist bus in the Sinai Peninsula killed three South Korean tourists and an Egyptian, and the area has continued to be the target of further deadly bomb attacks in the last few weeks.

Last month football in Egypt was also suspended after at least 40 people were killed and dozens injured in a stampede and clashes between police and supporters of Zamalek football club at a game in Cairo.

The event in Eindhoven is expected to attract the world’s top junior stars, including reigning champions Habiba Mohamed of Egypt and Peruvian Diego Elías who will be back to defend the titles they won in Namibia last year.