Lee Drew to Step Down as Head of World Squash Officiating
The Professional Squash Association (PSA) and World Squash would like to thank Lee Drew for his dedicated service to the sport after being informed by Drew of his decision to step down from his position as Head of World Squash Officiating (WSO).
Drew has headed WSO – an organisation launched in 2021 dedicated to the regulation and development of squash officiating worldwide – since July 2023 but will step down at the end of January in order to focus on coaching. Drew, who prior to WSO’s launch served as Referee and Refereeing Director for the PSA, will remain an active contributor to WSO on a consultancy basis.
During Drew’s tenure at WSO, there has been a significant progress in squash officiating, including the hiring of squash’s first full-time professional referees, increased support for female referees and the development of modern training materials for new and experienced referees alike.
Lee Drew said: “After being involved with WSO since its inception, I’m proud of how we’ve evolved squash officiating. When we started, referees were expected to deliver elite-level performances whilst taking annual leave to do the job. Today, WSO generates money and reinvests it into officiating at levels the sector hasn’t seen before – we now have five professional referees and have significantly increased pay across officiating levels.”
“What I’m most proud of is the foundation work that people don’t always see – developing the strategic framework, building operational structures, developing protocols and processes, establishing partnerships with Member Nation Federations and expanding user representation.
“We’ve also worked extensively on rules development and education, working towards consistent interpretation globally. We’ve created genuine development pathways through online courses, mentoring programmes, workshops, and initiatives like the Women in Refereeing project. We’re also capturing the referee experience through online content and stories. WSO now supports over 14,500 users in the database globally and has established itself as the recognised authority for squash officiating standards.”
“Looking ahead, WSO has ambitious targets and the systems in place to achieve them. I’m confident the organisation is positioned to continue growing and investing in officiating worldwide. The team we’ve built provides a strong foundation for the next phase of development.”
PSA CEO Alex Gough said: “On behalf of the PSA and indeed the wider squash world, I’d like to thank Lee for everything he’s done for our sport and for squash officiating.
“Lee has been critical in spearheading the progress made at WSO. With a database of over 14,000 referees across 135 countries and territories, 44 partner federations, and a growing number of professional referees, the future of squash officiating is looking very bright.
“I am particularly grateful for Lee’s decision to continue his involvement with WSO; his expertise will be a vital asset in its continued progress.
“I wish Lee the very best in his next role.”
Further updates on WSO will be announced in due course.
World Squash CEO William Louis-Marie added: “Lee’s contribution to the professionalisation of squash officiating cannot be overstated. From a World Squash perspective, we are incredibly proud of how World Squash Officiating has become a unifying force for our Member National Federations. The large-scale adoption of the WSO platform by our members worldwide is a testament to the robust framework Lee helped build, ensuring that our global officiating community has access to world-class training and pathways.”
About WSO
World Squash Officiating was founded by World Squash and PSA to advance global squash officiating and leads the development, regulation, and standardisation of squash officiating worldwide.
