Tenpin bowling has been unexpectedly removed from the competition program at the highly anticipated World Games 2025 in Chengdu, China, the German Bowling Federation (DKB) has revealed in it's announcement earlier today.
This decision, made by the International World Games Association (IWGA), has sent shockwaves throughout the bowling community, as bowling was one of five sports which have been continuously on the programme of World Games since the first edition in 1981.
The IWGA motivated the exclusion by the unavailability of all phone numbers associated with the International Bowling Federation (IBF), the IBF office in Lausanne being closed and, most concerning, the fact that all letters directed to the IBF President have gone unanswered, leaving crucial queries unresolved.
Adding to the already mounting concerns, it has come to light that the IWGA annual fee for 2023, which should have been paid by the IBF, was instead covered by an unknown private individual.
German Bowling Federation requested an extraordinary congress before the summer break, with the agenda item to remove the IBF president from his position for inaction.
In the letter for IBF Member Federations, German Bowling Federation emphasized that the removal of tenpin bowling from the World Games 2025 not only diminishes the international stage for athletes but also affects the development and growth of the sport worldwide.
Sheikh Talal left his position on May 24th, 2022, after a letter about possible money laundering had been sent by one of the presidents of the European Bowling Federation (EBF), but resumed his position, by making an announcement on October 4th, 2022, that he was resuming his duties and accused Martin Faba (IBF 1st VP acting as Interim President) to the conspiracy to create a new rival entity.
