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Island Games boss: 'Very popular' ten pin bowling deserves chance

Ten pin bowling is "very popular" and it is "fair" that the sport gets its chance at the NatWest Island Games, according to the Association's Chairman.

Jorgen Pettersson was speaking to ITV News amid widespread dismay from the Channel Islands sporting community that football and cycling have been omitted from the 2019 Games whilst judo and ten pin bowling have been included.

Ten pin bowling has featured at the Games once before in Gotland in 1999, whilst judo has not been involved since 2009.

Pettersson has urged sports not involved in Gibraltar 2019 to organise their own events, like gymnastics did this summer with an inter-island event in Ynys Mon.

Football took place two years ago (in Bermuda) and footballers decided not to show up - we can't do everything. In Scandinavian islands ten pin bowling is a very popular sport. It is different in Britain, it is more of a hobby. In Scandinavia, it is taken very seriously and it's fair to acknowledge that.

– Jorgen Pettersson