A SPORTS governing body has become embroiled in an increasingly bitter row with organisers of the 2014 Commonwealth Games over its legacy for the sport.

The dispute relates to plans for a showpiece all-glass squash court to be used during the Games, with organisers planning to pay £850,000 for a temporary structure which will be dismantled at the end of the event.

John Dunlop, chief executive of Scottish Squash and Racketball (SSR), said that such a court, to be built in a temporary structure at Scotstoun Leisure Centre, would not allow the sport to attract future championships to the city and would jeopardise the Games' legacy intentions.

This is despite a further six world-class courts being built ahead of next year's event.

Following a deterioration in the relationship between SSR – which represents 4000 registered members, as well as the interests of all leisure players across Scotland – and Glasgow 2014 over the issue, Games chief executive David Grevemberg said he would no longer deal with the governing body over legacy issues.

In a letter to Mr Dunlop, Mr Grevemberg wrote: "In future, and cognisant of the challenges that we have encountered thus far in our attempts to work with Scottish Squash and Racketball in relation to venue planning and infrastructure, and the acquisition of an all-glass show court, Glasgow 2014 will now work directly through sportscotland to explore potential joint legacy opportunities for squash arising from the Games."

Observers have claimed that bringing a temporary glass-court to Glasgow, which will also host some table tennis matches, struck a balance in creating the required facilities, given the six permanent courts now in place.

It is understood that Glasgow City Council, which owns Scotstoun Leisure Centre, could not commit long-term to an all-glass facility on the site.

Mr Dunlop said: "The city of Glasgow, to its credit, has built a world-class set of qualifying squash courts at Scotstoun. In fact, these are the first squash courts ever to be built in Scotland primarily as a major events venue.

"However, if Scotland and Glasgow are to realise the intrinsic value from that core public investment, we need to have a workable and financially prudent model on which we can attract future world and European events to Glasgow. The current 2014 plan is not such a plan.

"The plan for a temporary venue was tendered at £500,000 and was recently revised to £853,000.

"I have yet to meet anyone outside of the 2014 organisation to whom this plan makes any sense."

Mr Grevemberg added that SSR had not come up with a business plan to permanently retain the all-glass court. Discussions are ongoing with the supplier of the court, with it possibly being sent to Canada or Australia at the close of the event.

City councillor Archie Graham, executive member for the Commonwealth Games, said that building a temporary structure was preferable to building new premises – at greater cost – which were then later underused.

He said: "After the Games there will be more squash courts in the community than we have ever had. There is also an issue with capacity on the site. The vast majority of the squash courts will be there forever."

A spokesman for Glasgow 2014 said: "A range of options are being explored to deliver a glass show court for use during Games time. However, unless a permanent legacy solution can be found, the temporary structure used to house the all-glass show court will not remain on site post-Games.

"Glasgow 2014 is dealing directly with Scottish Squash on a range of issues and there is no breakdown of communication between our respective organisations. However, we have communicated to Scottish Squash and Racketball that we will now be working with sportscotland specifically to explore potential joint legacy opportunities for squash arising from the Games."