Asian Bowling Federation suspends all international tournaments in Malaysia
02/13/07
The Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) has informed its member federations that ABF will not sanction any international tournaments organized or sanctioned by the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) until further notice.
The next event affected is the 30th Malaysian International Open, scheduled for March 11-24, 2007 at Pyramid Megalanes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tournament will also lose its status as Asian Ranking events and no ranking points would be given.
In addition ABF will not organize any official event in Malaysia such as the Malaysian leg of the 2007 ABF Tour scheduled for March 25, 2007.
In accordance with the World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) Playing Rules Chapter 3, players participating in unapproved tournaments may be subject to penalty (for example the denial to participate in tournaments for a stated period) given by WTBA and/or the player's national federation.
The reason for the drastic measures goes back to the 2006 Malaysian Open in which the format and rules that were sent out by the MTBC included a cash award of RM50,000 (approx. US$ 13,500 at that time) for a bowler who bowled the first 300 game in the Open Masters Finals. The tournament was sanctioned by both ABF and WTBA.
When the sponsor of the 300 game Award pulled out the MTBC neither informed the sanctioning bodies nor the other federations that the 300 game Award was … a Canon printer.
When Saeed Ibrahim from the UAE rolled the tournament's first 300 game in the first 8-game block of the Open Masters final en route to take the lead (he eventually finished sixth), he was surprised with the printer for his efforts.
Saeed Ibrahim protested against not getting the prize money announced in the Rules and Regulations and when he returned to his country, The Emirates Bowling Federation (EBF) made a formal protest but the MTBC refused to pay out the cash award.
The EBF then protested to the ABF through their National Olympic Committee and the ABF Executive Committee decided in August 2006 that the MTBC has to pay the money as bowlers who pay to participate in the Malaysian Open were attracted by the prize money.
Also only the format and rules INCLUDING prize money for the 300 game Award were sanctioned by ABF and WTBA. The decision was accepted by the General Assembly the next day.
However, the MTBC has ignored the decision and did not pay the money to Saeed Ibrahim.
As long as the issue between the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress and the Emirates Bowling Federation is not resolved to the EBF's satisfaction, all international tournaments in Malaysia will remain suspended.
By the way, WTBA Playing Rules Chapter 3.1 says that it is the responsibility of the player to make sure that the tournament has been duly approved before entering.
Asian News
The Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) has informed its member federations that ABF will not sanction any international tournaments organized or sanctioned by the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) until further notice.The next event affected is the 30th Malaysian International Open, scheduled for March 11-24, 2007 at Pyramid Megalanes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The tournament will also lose its status as Asian Ranking events and no ranking points would be given.
In addition ABF will not organize any official event in Malaysia such as the Malaysian leg of the 2007 ABF Tour scheduled for March 25, 2007.
In accordance with the World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) Playing Rules Chapter 3, players participating in unapproved tournaments may be subject to penalty (for example the denial to participate in tournaments for a stated period) given by WTBA and/or the player's national federation.
The reason for the drastic measures goes back to the 2006 Malaysian Open in which the format and rules that were sent out by the MTBC included a cash award of RM50,000 (approx. US$ 13,500 at that time) for a bowler who bowled the first 300 game in the Open Masters Finals. The tournament was sanctioned by both ABF and WTBA.
When the sponsor of the 300 game Award pulled out the MTBC neither informed the sanctioning bodies nor the other federations that the 300 game Award was … a Canon printer.
When Saeed Ibrahim from the UAE rolled the tournament's first 300 game in the first 8-game block of the Open Masters final en route to take the lead (he eventually finished sixth), he was surprised with the printer for his efforts.
Saeed Ibrahim protested against not getting the prize money announced in the Rules and Regulations and when he returned to his country, The Emirates Bowling Federation (EBF) made a formal protest but the MTBC refused to pay out the cash award.
The EBF then protested to the ABF through their National Olympic Committee and the ABF Executive Committee decided in August 2006 that the MTBC has to pay the money as bowlers who pay to participate in the Malaysian Open were attracted by the prize money.
Also only the format and rules INCLUDING prize money for the 300 game Award were sanctioned by ABF and WTBA. The decision was accepted by the General Assembly the next day.
However, the MTBC has ignored the decision and did not pay the money to Saeed Ibrahim.
As long as the issue between the Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress and the Emirates Bowling Federation is not resolved to the EBF's satisfaction, all international tournaments in Malaysia will remain suspended.
By the way, WTBA Playing Rules Chapter 3.1 says that it is the responsibility of the player to make sure that the tournament has been duly approved before entering.