Billiards’ online petition for 2024 Paris Olympic Games inclusion draws thousands of signatures
- Nearly 20,000 people have backed the campaign as of Monday, representing 137 countries
- Lobby group Billiards 2024 is proposing snooker, 9-ball and 3-cushion team formats for the Olympics
Nearly 20,000 billiards fans have signed an online petition for the sports inclusion in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, bolstered by the backing of all major world federations but facing stiff competition from other disciplines.
Organisers of the campaign, Billiards 2024, are hoping to have more than 25,000 signatures through the change.org petition website in a quest to convince Paris and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to embrace billiards at the Games in five years’ time.
“Support is really growing fast,” Billiards 2024 coordinator Jean-Pierre Guiraud told the South China Morning Post. “We have 137 nations represented in the signatures and we want to reach more than 25,000.
“But it is only a step. Before convincing the IOC, we need to convince COJO Paris 2024 [the Paris Games organising committee]. But more than the numbers, the most important thing is to prove we have the support of the whole world.”
Last month, the heads of all major billiards sports bodies made a joint announcement at the Eiffel Tower in Paris of solidarity for the Olympic cause, with Frenchman Guiraud appointed to head the bid.