Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Olympics: Billards, snooker want spot in Tokyo 2020 Games

Published 01/22/2015, 12:20 PM
Updated 01/22/2015, 12:30 PM
© Reuters. China's Ding plays a shot during his match against Williams of Wales in the final of the 2010 World Snooker China Open in Beijing

© Reuters. China's Ding plays a shot during his match against Williams of Wales in the final of the 2010 World Snooker China Open in Beijing

BERLIN (Reuters) - Billiards and snooker on Thursday launched an unexpected bid to win a spot on the Tokyo 2020 Olympics sports program, saying sharp global rise in popularity helped their case.

The program for the Tokyo Games has already been agreed with organizers and the International Olympic Committee and any late inclusion would have to be preceded by a request from the organizers.

The IOC changed its rules in December to allow new sports to enter the Games more easily to freshen up the program.

Tokyo is set to benefit from the rule change, with baseball and softball seen as favorites to be named for inclusion due to the sports' popularity in Japan.

"Four years ahead of its original target, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association has engaged heavily in working alongside the World Confederation of Billiard Sports on a bid for inclusion in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo," snooker's world governing body said in a statement.

"The WPBSA and WCBS have this week submitted a bid outlining their case as to why billiards sports should be part of the program for 2020 Tokyo," it said.

© Reuters. China's Ding plays a shot during his match against Williams of Wales in the final of the 2010 World Snooker China Open in Beijing

Tokyo Games chief Yoshiro Mori told reporters in December he would not drag the issue out to avoid speculation and would have some indication of which sport or sports to propose for inclusion by the time of an IOC project review in February.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.