LAURA Massaro has hit out at Rory McIlroy over comments the golfer made about his reasons for withdrawing from this summer's Olympics.

The Chorley squash ace is frustrated that world No 4 McIlroy, along with a host of other top golfers, will not swing their clubs in Rio despite the sport appearing at the Games for the first time in 112 years.

And she says that if squash had been voted in, not a single player would have missed the chance to compete for a medal in Brazil.

McIlroy told a press conference before this week's Open Championship that he got into the game to win trophies, not 'grow the game'.

He added: "I'm very happy with the decision that I've made and I have no regrets about it. I'll probably watch the Olympics, but I'm not sure golf will be one of the events I watch."

But Massaro told BBC 5 Live: "His comments are unacceptable because it's a lack of appreciation for how an Olympics can just transcend an individual sport.

"Part of being a professional athlete is also to grow the game and be a role model for young people watching on TV. The Olympics is a perfect opportunity to do that.

"It's frustration more than anything that that's how he feels and he doesn't see it as the pinnacle of their sport as so many of the athletes do."

Massaro, who won the 2013 world title and reached world No 1 status in January this year, also called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reconsider golf's participation in the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

Squash missed out on selection for both Rio and Tokyo, with sports including surfing and climbing getting the nod instead.

Massaro said: "There's a lot of sports out there that would absolutely love their place in the Olympic Games, would see it as a pinnacle and would do everything they can to get an Olympic medal.

"It almost seems a shame you can't give that opportunity to athletes who would really, really want it.

"I would hope the IOC would definitely reconsider and look at some other options going forward.

"We (squash players) would all be there without a doubt. I don't think there would have been a single withdrawal on the men's or the women's side."

McIlroy is one of 20 players to withdraw from Rio, many citing the threat of the Zika, a mosquito-borne virus which has been linked to defects in newborn babies and Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome which causes temporary paralysis in adults.

The Northern Irishman also claimed that the world's top golfers had not been asked about whether they would want take part before the decision was made to include it.

Massaro said: "With a lot of the golfers blaming the Zika virus, it's hard to know whether that's true or not.

"So maybe waiting until Tokyo will answer those questions, but it does seem a little unfair.

She added: "I was aware of a pledge that was signed by all the top golfers. I can't say 100 per cent that Rory's signature was on that pledge when the Olympic bid went in.

"But squash certainly asked for a pledge from all the top players to sign it saying we would be there if we got in the Olympics, and golf also came up with a pledge that golfers signed to say if it got in the Olympics they would be there.

"So it's interesting he thinks no-one asked him at the time because I'm sure people did ask him at the time and that's one of the reasons golf got in the Olympics."