MTBC TO APPEAL FOR TENPIN BOWLING’S INCLUSION AT 2025 SEA GAMES IN THAILAND

PETALING JAYA, June 22 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress (MTBC) will submit an appeal to the SEA Games Federation (SEAGF) through the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) to consider the sport’s inclusion in the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

MTBC acting president Datuk Mohammed Najeeb Abdullah expressed confidence that OCM, led by Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zakaria, would definitely take proactive steps to help their cause.

“MTBC is disappointed for (tenpin bowling) not being listed in one of the 40 types of sports that will be contested at the upcoming SEA Games.

“This is because since the first SEA Games were held in Bangkok, tenpin bowling has never been left out and we know that the last time in Phnom Penh (Cambodia in 2023) it was not contested because there were no facilities (bowling alley) there,” he said here today.

Mohammed Najeeb believes that the appeal which must be made before Aug 31 this year will have the support of the majority of the member countries as most of them have tenpin bowlers.

He also opined that there should be no problems with tenpin bowling venues in Thailand since it is also hosting several bowling tournaments this year.

“(If tenpin bowling is included) as in the 2021 Hanoi SEA Games, we will indeed send our back-up squad to give them the opportunity to hone their talents and we will use the same strategy.

“In terms of our bowlers, they are always ready despite a tight schedule since they are involved in international competitions,” he said.

Yesterday, OCM announced that it would submit an appeal to the SEAGF to include some sports with the potential to contribute medals to Malaysia in the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand.

Thailand, during the recent SEAGF Sports and Regulations Committee meeting in Bangkok, proposed 40 sports including discus and tug-of-war as demonstration sports for the 33rd SEA Games scheduled from Dec 9-20 next year in Bangkok, Chonburi and Songkhla.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Najeeb expressed his gratitude as tenpin bowling athletes were gaining recognition, with the 2023 National Sportswoman title awarded to Natasha Mohamed Roslan at the 2023 National Sports Awards held at the National Sports Council (MSN) in Bukit Jalil recently.

-- BERNAMA