Israeli players reinstated for World Bowls Tour Championship in the UK after federation reverses initial ban

The World Bowls Tour announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that it had overturned its earlier decision to exclude Israeli players from an international tournament in the United Kingdom scheduled for January. The reversal followed significant backlash from Jewish community leaders and a local politician, who criticized the global federation for yielding to pressure from “pro-Palestine” activists advocating for the boycott.

The World Bowls Tour (WBT) ban was the latest example of an expanding boycott against Israelis and Jews amid the ongoing war in Gaza. It would have excluded one player from the singles competition and two others from the pairs event.

In its official statement, the WBT federation and its partners said they were “delighted to advise that significant additional security measures have been put in place for the forthcoming World Indoor Bowls Championships.”

“The WBT acknowledges that this has been a difficult time for all involved and we are pleased that we have been able to achieve an outcome that includes players for all supporting countries,” it added.

Despite its stated mission to "unite people" from around the world, the WBT had announced in a previous social media post that it had made the “difficult decision” to uninvite the Israeli participants. The decision was attributed to the Israeli bowlers’ involvement in the Scottish International Open in August, which the WBT claimed had led to a “significant escalation in related political concerns.”

While WBT officials explained the decision had “not been taken lightly,” at the time they said it was made “in the best interests of the event’s success and integrity."

Action Network, a radical anti-Israel group that backed the boycott, accused Israel of “apartheid” and “genocide.” In a statement, the group wrote, “We call on the World Bowls Tour (WBT) to immediately withdraw its invitation to Israeli players Amnon Amar, Itai Rigbi and Daniel Alonim. These nationals belonging to the apartheid and genocidal state are set to compete against Scottish bowlers at the World Indoor Bowls Championships on 10th and 13th of January 2025 in Potters Resorts, Hopton-on-Sea, Great Yarmouth."

Claiming that Israel is “an apartheid state,” Action Network argued that Scotland was “obligated by both the spirit and letter of the agreement to boycott sporting organizations, teams or competing nationals from any country ‘where sports are organized by race, color or ethnic origin.’”

The championship’s board added that it was “hopeful” it would be able to welcome Israeli participants to “the WBT stage in the future."

The decision was reversed after WBT Federation received criticism for its decision giving in to pressure from pro-Palestinian groups.

Rupert Lowe, member of parliament for the populist Reform party in the Great Yarmouth constituency, which hosts competition, voiced his opposition to the ban in a statement posted on 𝕏.

"We must stop cowering to this aggressive and entitled pro-Palestine mob. It may be tolerated in London, but it’s not in Great Yarmouth. Their bullying tactics will be resisted. The organisers of the event must reconsider - Israeli competitors ARE welcome in my constituency," he wrote.

The president of the Professional Bowlers Association Israel, Zvika Hagar, highlighted that the Jewish state has been associated with the sport for over 30 years and was one of the founding members of the WBT.

“People here are very upset. It’s not just this particular competition; we are concerned that the decision has set a precedent which may affect us in the future,” Hagar stated. He revealed that he criticized the WBT in an official letter for “caving in” to political pressure and that it was “taking the easy way out” by illegally banning Israeli players from participating in the competition.

The player, Rigbi, warned that the anti-Israel boycott could if not contained, potentially escalate to more sports and disciplines.

"Today it's bowling, yesterday it was Frisbee. Tomorrow we'll be eliminated from Eurovision and it will continue until the Olympic Games," Rigbi assessed. "There's no end to it. I'm a small part, with all my sporting pain because I wanted to participate in the competition. The story is the behavior of the British, who apparently received threats or warnings and arbitrarily decided to react like this."

The Board of Deputies of British Jews had strongly condemned the anti-Israel sports boycott, stating that they were "appalled at the decision." It urged the WBT Federation to reverse the ban, highlighting a perceived hypocrisy in its justification.

“There can be no justification for this overt act of discrimination against Israeli participants, who are excluded solely on the basis of their nationality, which may be a breach of applicable equalities legislation.”

“It is deeply ironic and paradoxical that the directors should attempt to justify their decision to exclude individuals named in their press release by reference to how ‘Bowls is, and always has been, a sport that unites people and this choice reflects our commitment to protecting the Championships and ensuring they run smoothly for everyone.’ We call upon the directors to reverse their decision.”