Last WTBA Congress approves several rules changes

22 December, 2015

World Bowling News

2718

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The last congresses in the history of the Federation Internationale des Quilleurs (FIQ) and World Tenpin Bowling Association (WTBA) were held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, December 15.

Fifty-six member federations with twenty-two proxies attended both congresses during which the merger of the two organizations into one entity, World Bowling, was approved with 77 votes in favor and 2 abstentions.

Spearheading bowling’s world governing body in the next four years are Sheikh Talal Mohammad Al-Sabah (President), Suwalai Satrulee (1st VP) and Ulf Sjøblom (2nd VP). Outgoing President Kevin Dornberger is supposed to continue to serve the organization as CEO for a period of three years.

Besides the historic merger and the elections, the WTBA Congress approved several rule changes effective immediately.

World Championships

Only one lane pattern will be used in each World Championship from 2016.
The category (short, medium or long) of this pattern will be published latest 90 days in advance of the Championships.
The specific lane pattern within the selected category will still be announced at the Team Manager meeting immediately before the championship.
The rules about drinking and smoking in a standard uniform of a national federation is now more specified and the penalties for violations also more detailed.
Semi-finals and Finals in the Team event in all World Championships will be played in Baker scoring system in best-of-three games. In Baker team bowling, each member of a five-player team bowls two frames to complete a full game.

Masters event at WWC, WMC, WC, WSrC and WYC

Top 24 players in All-Events are qualified for the Masters finals in best-of-three games format.
The top 8 in All-Events receive a first-round bye.
In each match, the highest seeded player meets the lowest seeded player; the second highest meets the second-lowest player; and so on.

World Singles Championship

All players will bowl 12 games of qualifying in blocks of 4 games.
Top 32 players will advance to group play in 4 groups where all player in a group play against all other in the group. After each game the players are awarded points. Best in each game 7 points, second 6 points and so on.
Top 2 from each group will advance and play in one group (same format applies).
Top 4 players will advance to Semi-finals and Finals.

World Games

16 federations will qualify for the World Games in each division (men and women)
A federation will send two men and/or two women
Single event for each gender
Doubles event for each gender

Sheikh Talal Mohammad Al-Sabah of Kuwait elected President of World Bowling

Herbert Bickel