World Bowls Tour reverses decision to ban Israel from championships

Israeli players have been reinstated to participate in next month’s World Indoor Bowls Championships in Norfolk, UK, after tournament organisers reversed an earlier decision to bar them, the BBC reported.

Daniel Alomin, set for singles competition, and Amnon Amar and Itai Rigbi, scheduled for the pairs event, had their invitations initially revoked after calls to isolate the occupation state as it continues its genocide in Gaza.

The World Bowls Tour (WBT) had previously justified the exclusion, citing “a significant escalation in related political concerns” following Israeli participation in the Scottish International Open in August. The ban, intended to safeguard the event’s “success and integrity,” drew criticism from Zionist organisations and local MP Rupert Lowe, who slammed it as “mob rule.”

On Tuesday, the WBT issued a revised statement allowing the Israeli players to compete and extended an apology for the earlier decision.

It stated: “We would firstly wish to extend our sincere apologies to both you and to PBA Israel, for any upset or offence that we have caused by the withdrawal of the invitation to the three members of PBA Israel in advance of the January 2025 championships. This was absolutely not our intention; however as we made clear, we had found ourselves in a very difficult position in relation to the security of the venue and to the competitors and other attendees.”

“However, over the past 48 hours we have been exploring practical ways in which our concerns could be overcome, so as to enable the invitation to PBA Israel to be reinstated. We are pleased to say that following discussions with various partner agencies, we have been able to confirm today an increase in the security presence at the event. The WBT Board is accordingly satisfied that this increased level of security which will be in place is sufficient to be able to welcome the PBA Israel Team to the event starting on 10 January 2025.”

This comes despite pressure from several pro-Palestinian groups, including Palestine Action and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who had urged its supporters to sign a petition calling for the players’ invitations to be rescinded.

In its campaign, the group accused Israel of committing apartheid against Palestinians and called for its players to be banned under the 1977 Gleneagles Agreement – originally signed to exclude South Africa.

The reinstatement also comes as Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

Despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire, the Israeli army has continued a genocidal war on Gaza that has killed nearly 45,600 victims, mostly women and children, since a Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

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