News ... Bowling and 2018 Commonwealth Games

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Quoted directly from http://www.ctbc2011.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16&Itemid=5

Tenpin Bowling to make a reappearance in 2018 Games was the talking point at the opening ceremony of the V Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling championship at the Sunway Mega Lanes yesterday afternoon.

Datuk P.S. Nathan, the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) president, Jessie Phua, FIQ president and Tunku Tan Sri Imran Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar, the Olympic Council of Malaysia president and vice-president of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), in their addresses at the opening ceremony, all spoke of the sport’s effort and need to be back in the Commonwealth Games.

Tenpin Bowling only made one appearance in the Commonwealth Games when Malaysia hosted the Games in 1998. Since then, host nations Manchester (2002), Melbourne (2006) and New Delhi (2010) had not included tenpin bowling among the sport competed. Even the next Games in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014, has not included tenpin bowling as one sports in the 17 sports for the Games – 10 core and seven selected. The 17 sports selected for their Games are aquatics, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, ·gymnastics, hockey, judo, lawn bowl, netball, rugby 7s, shooting, squash, table tennis, triathlon, weightlifting and wrestling.

The Commonwealth Tenpin Bowling Championship was inaugurated in 2004 to compensate the exclusion of the sport from the Commonwealth Games proper and also to keep the sport alive among Commonwealth countries until it eventually makes the Games proper.·Since the Stirling Scotland championship in 2004, the biennial championship has been held in Paphos, Cyprus in 2004, Melbourne, Australia in 2006 and in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2008.

Dr Nathan said that it was sad that after bowling made its debut in the Commonwealth Games in 1998 though a lot of effort, it was not followed up in the next three Games. “We have to work very hard as a team to ensure that tenpin bowling returns to the Commonwealth Games in 2018. We have to achieve this for the sake of the sport and our dream to see he sport eventually become an Olympic sport,” said Nathan.

“Jessie Phua, the FIQ president, has worked hard to move bowling to Category 2 for the 2018 Games and it is now up to us to ensure that we do not allow this opportunity to make the Games, slip away.” Jessie in her speech said that through her extensive engagements with Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) members and the final presentation to the CGF Sports Committee in London on 7th June 2010, the Tenpin Bowling has now been approved as a Category 2 sport. “By becoming a Category 2 sport, Tenpin Bowling is now eligible for inclusion in their official programme by perspective candidate cities for the Commonwealth Games,” said Jessie

“Our inclusion is a much needed step-up as we continue with our quest towards the Olympic arches. “I call on all Federation leaders to work unison towards our goal to get the sport back in the Commonwealth Games in 2018. It is to you all to see what direction you want to see the sport head.”

The host for the 2018 will only be decided in November this year. Two cities who are bidding to host the Games are Gold Coast, Australia and Hambantota, Sri Lanka. Tunku Imran in his speech said that Jessie’s effort to get the sport to Category 2 is a milestone effort for the sport’s inclusion in the 2018 Games. “The two bidding cities will be placing their lodgement in May where they will recommend the sports they want to host besides their bid offers” said Tunku Imran.

“You still have a few month to work hard on convince the two bidding cites to include bowling as one of their sport event to be competed. “It has to be concerted effort because if the bowling playing nations can get together to convince the host that they will get your support for the bid if the bowling is included, it could work your way. “But remember that many other sports are also vying to get into the Commonwealth Games stable and that is why it as to be a united effort to have numbers to present the inclusion of bowling.”

Tenpin bowling inclusion in the 2018 Commonwealth Games will definitely be a huge step towards seeing the sport gain Olympic status. The sport is already a permanent feature in the Sea Games and Asian Games.

As Jessie put it in conclusion of her speech: “The ball in your lane.”
 
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