The European Masters Games will be held for the first time in Malmö, Sweden the 29th of August – the 7th of September 2008.

The Games benefit from the patronage of the International Masters Games Association (IMGA), which is recognised by the International Olympic Committee through the European Masters Sports Association, and that embodies the Olympic ideal that sport is a human right for people of all ages regardless of race, social class, gender and economic circumstance.

The term ‘Master’ is only an age criteria and therefore does not define a level of sports proficiency or a particular sports achievement.

The European Masters Games, which will take place every four years, are open to everyone. Participants compete as individuals and not in National teams. There are no qualification or selection criteria to compete in the European Masters Games. The only entry requirement is that competitors satisfy the minimum age for competition specified in the technical rules of the respective International Sports Federations.

The only other prerequisite is having to be a European citizen and be 35 years of age or more (in most of the sports) when entering the competitions. We follow the UN definition of Europe.

Cue Sports have been selected as a sport for the Games, but curiously Snooker has been forgotten and only the Carom 3 cushions and Pool will be played at these Games.

This omission seems particularly unfair for several reasons.

The first is that the IBSF or EBSA have not been contacted to request comments or file an application for Snooker to be represented at the event.

The second reason is that I know that the EBSA and IBSF are the only Federations that for the past several years, have organised with growing success a competition exclusively dedicated to the Masters.

It would have been fair to say the least, to recognise our efforts and to include Snooker played as a discipline in Cue Sports.

I will contact the local organizing committee to find out how such an omission of Snooker was possible and to share our disappointment.

The promotion of our Sport also involves the protection of our interests.