Mike Dale runs down the nationality switches you may have missed as players jostle for new passports to secure their places at LA 2028.
When news broke of squash's impending Olympic debut, one of the many ripple effects across the sport was rumours of players switching nationality in order to secure a place in the LA 2028 draw.
The Olympic Qualification System, announced in February, confirmed that no more than two players from each country (and in most cases, just one) would be eligible to compete in the 16-player draws at Universal Studios.
Players from squash's powerhouses such as Great Britain, France, USA, Malaysia, India, Belgium and, most obviously, Egypt, were faced with a stark reality: either become the best in your country by May 2028, or you won't be going to LA. For most, being no.2 simply will not do.
In Egypt, especially, where toppling the likes of Mostafa Asal and Hania El Hammamy will be almost impossible for most, it's not surprising that players are starting to look at other options.
The Final World Qualifying tournament, taking place 6-10 June 2028 at an as-yet unknown venue, offers just a glimpse of a second chance — and, somewhat under the radar, several players are getting into position to snatch it.
The 24-player men's and women's draws at the tournament will comprise of the highest-ranked athlete on the PSA world rankings from nations that have not yet been allocated one of the other 15 quota places in the Olympic draw.
This brings squash's smaller nations very much into play and the scramble for passports to some of these countries has begun in earnest - with this week’s European Team Division 3 Championships from 15-18 April in Luxembourg the first staging post for those making early moves.
Greg Lobban and Mazen Gamal in action - two of the players who have switched nationality
Mazen Gamal is one early mover. Born in Saudi Arabia but representing Egypt all his career, he has switched allegiance to Lithuania in time to play in the European Team Division 3 Championships.
Coached by the great Karim Darwish, he has played in an impressive 176 PSA events, winning 10 at Challenger level.
He is now 40, but slots straight in at Lithuanian no.1, perhaps to the chagrin of his new team-mates who might have fancied a crack as Lithuania's representative at the Final World Qualifying tournament themselves.
As already reported by Squash Player, another Egyptian seeking a back-door route to LA is Mohamed ElSherbini.
The paperwork enabling him to represent Slovenia was not processed in time for the 33-year-old to make his debut at the upcoming European Team Division 3 Championships.
However, Squash Player understands the Alexandria-born former world no.15 (cousin of eight-time women's world champion Nour) will play for Slovenia once his naturalisation process is complete.
Slotting straight in as Slovenian no.1 with his current PSA world ranking of 42 will almost certainly earn him a spot at the Final World Qualification tournament — and he'll have a decent chance of winning it and securing that coveted 16th place in the LA draw.
Another player quietly changing allegiance is Nicolas Serna. Born in Milan, he represented Colombia (playing in several Pan American Junior Games and Championships) until this year, when he was named no.1 in the Italy men's team at the European Team Division 3 Championships in Luxembourg.
Still only 24, he is currently just inside the world top 300. However, he only played one PSA event in 2025 so it would appear his ranking will go through some natural readjustment as he ups his participation from now onwards.
France's Elise Romba, who was ranked no.89 just over two years ago, has become Portuguese in the last couple of months.
Elise Romba
Romba's family is from Portugal and her younger sister Céline made the same move a few years ago. Elise will play for Portugal at the upcoming European Team Division 2 Championships in Amsterdam, coming straight in at no.1 above national champion Catarina Nunes, the current world no.147.
The first instantly recognisable name to announce an allegiance switch was Greg Lobban, who ends his stellar international career for Scotland and instead dons the green and gold of Australia.
Instantly becoming the highest-ranked Australian male (he's currently world no.21) gives Lobban a far greater chance of making it to the Olympics than competing with the likes of Joel Makin, the ElShorbagy brothers and Jonah Bryant for a place in Team GB.
Rumours have swirled around the squash scene of even bigger names switching flags to manoeuvre their way on to the plane to LAX airport in July 2028... but so far, no further players have gone public with their intentions.
Further jostling for positions in the Olympic qualification framework over the coming months will be fascinating.
