Aland target bowls

GUERNSEY will reject a bid to cut the number of Island Games sports. While bowls could be rolled into touch and squash quashed from future Island Games, it will not happen without a fight from the Sarnians.

Moves to scrap both sports will be vehemently opposed by Guernsey Island Games Association representatives next week.

A formal proposal by 2009 hosts Aland to reduce the number of sports from 18 to 16 and end the involvement of bowls and squash with immediate effect will be discussed at the AGM in Rhodes on Tuesday.

The resolutions will be opposed by Guernsey after the member sports of the Guernsey Island Games Association voted unanimously against at a recent council meeting.

'I don't think it's a very good idea. It has taken a number of years to come to 18 sports and I don't see the sense in reducing the number of sports,' said Guernsey's general team manager Roy Martel, who is personally against removing squash and bowls.

International Island Games Association treasurer Eric Legg said that it was only in 2003 it was agreed to increase the number to 18 sports.

'We will follow what the members suggest, but we would be surprised if they wanted to reduce it,' he said.

Guernsey has produced World Champions at squash and bowls and while they have their own alternative Island Games event to look forward to in Guernsey later this year, it is scant consolation for omission from the games in Rhodes.

A ban from future games would be a major kick in the teeth.

'At the last Island Games council meeting it was agreed to back bowls and squash and fight our corner,' confirmed Garry Collins, chief executive of Bowls Guernsey.

'Because we are not guaranteed being in the Games every time we would be extremely disappointed. I can see some politics behind this from the bowls point of view because we won seven golds and one silver in Shetland which is quite a sway from any sport.'

He said the Aland proposal came 'out of the blue' and the feedback received from the likes of Shetland is that if the two sports are excluded the Shetlanders could only possibly compete in 11 and the Island Games minimum is 12.

'It would be a great loss,' said Peter Bridgeman, director of Guernsey Squash.

'They have only just introduced it and it was very successful in Shetland - we have only competed once in that arena and the goal is to be part of the Island Games.

'It's a move by an island who are not big on squash and bowls. It's a great spectator sport and I think it's tunnel vision,' he said.

He insisted that the Guernsey Squash Racquets Association will definitely oppose such a move.

'It does not bear thinking about,' said Bridgeman.

'We will be fighting for it to stay in the Island Games through the IGA. There are a lot of things that could be done to help the situation.'

He believes the International Island Games Association should not be looking to reduce the number of sports but accommodate more and suggests the Island Games cannot afford to lose them.

After the Commonwealth Games the Island Games are the next step up, he said.

Former World Bowls champion Alison Merrien said: 'The involvement in the Island Games two years ago was fantastic and it's an amazing feeling. To lose that would be a great shame.'

'To the island it would be a big loss.'