World Bowls Is the recognised International Federation for the Sport of Bowls. There are 59 Member National Authorities in 57 countries worldwide.
The objectives of World Bowls are:
- To provide for the encouragement, conduct, promotion, advancement, control and administration of Bowls throughout the world
- To foster and preserve the sport of Bowls
- To encourage the growth of the sport on a worldwide basis
- To act as final arbiter on all matters pertaining to the conduct of Bowls
- To establish and conduct bowls educational programmes
- To formulate and implement appropriate policies, including policies in relation to equal opportunity, gender and racial equality, drugs in sport, health and safety, and such other matters as arise from time to time as issues to be addressed in Bowls
- To conduct or commission research and development for improvements in Bowls and Bowls equipment, including regulations for the testing of bowls (World Bowls licence all Bowls Manufacturers and Testers around the world and are required to monitor compliance with a stringent set of Regulations relating to the Table Testing of Bowls)
- To promote the importance of Bowls laws, standards, techniques, awards and education to bodies involved in or related to bowls (World Bowls administers the ‘World Bowls Endorsement Scheme for Artificial Bowling Surfaces’ requiring regular contact with the manufacturers of such surfaces and the accredited laboratories who undertake extensive tests on such surfaces)
- To promulgate and secure uniformity in such laws and standards as may be necessary for the management and control of Bowls, Bowls competitions and related activities including (but not limited to) the Laws of the Sport and coaching standard
- To strive for and maintain government, commercial and public recognition of World Bowls as the authority for Bowls worldwide
- To affiliate and liaise with such bodies as may be desirable in pursuit of the World Bowls objectives or otherwise, including the International Olympic Committee and the Commonwealth Games Federation
- To authorise the holding of and lay down conditions for International games of a competitive nature (only World Bowls affiliated Member National Authorities are eligible to participate in International events and all participants in International events must be an affiliated member of their National Authority.
- Support International events conducted by World Bowls include World Championships (every 2 years), World Champion of Champions Singles (annually), World Indoor Singles (World Cup competed for annually), Asia Pacific Championships, Atlantic Championships and World Junior Cup (for bowlers under 25 years of age). Bowls is also a core sport for the Commonwealth Games.
