World Squash Officiating has appointed Jason Foster onto the panel of full-time professional referees on the PSA World Tour.
Foster, an 11-time National Police Champion, has extensive experience in squash, through playing, coaching, refereeing and squash club management. As well as officiating at the sport’s biggest tournaments, Foster will also work with Member Nations to support the development of their referees.
Foster, who refereed the recent British Open men’s final, will take on the role of Professional Referee and Educator. He serves as a police officer with the Avon & Somerset force.
He said: “I am delighted to be joining World Squash Officiating as a Professional Referee & also England Squash as Referee Project Lead.
“I was introduced to the game 45 years ago by my Dad and have been inspired & encouraged by so many along the way. I have played squash and coached professionally, managed a squash club & represented my country, so becoming a Referee feels very much like a natural progression.
“Exciting times lie ahead for our sport with inclusion in the 2028 LA Olympics, I hope to attract, inspire & develop new & existing Referees, imparting my knowledge & enthusiasm to provide World class officiating at every level.”
Head of WSO Lee Drew said: “We are thrilled to announce the addition of Jason Foster as the third professional referee employed by World Squash Officiating. Jason is a highly respected referee who has officiated at the highest level worldwide. His passion for the game and commitment to developing officiating standards both in England and internationally will be invaluable. We are delighted to welcome him to our team.”
Foster will undertake his role alongside becoming the new Referee Project Lead for England Squash. This role will see him support the organisation to expand their pool of referees; leading on recruiting and developing a diverse and dynamic team of talented referees for England Squash sanctioned competitions. WSO are looking forward to working much closer with England Squash to further the exciting ambitions in place for refereeing in England.
Vickie Prow, Competitions Project Lead at England Squash said: “I’m delighted Jason is joining the England Squash refereeing team to forge and develop the relationship with the WSO and the referees. Jason has a wealth of knowledge to bring to the team, which will see growth of the refereeing team and will ensure our referees continue to offer world-class refereeing in England and across the squash community.”
WSO – established in a partnership between the World Squash Federation (WSF) and PSA in 2019 – was created to develop a more qualified and diverse referee community. WSO provides a complete pathway of globally recognised courses from the grassroots level to the pinnacle of the game with an aim of improving refereeing performance and enhancing player education.