Bowls NSW CEO fears for athletes and sports future after Commonwealth Games scrapped

When it comes to lawn bowls, the Commonwealth Games is the pinnacle. Now with Melbourne 2026 wiped from the calendar, Bowls NSW CEO Tim Rowe shares his concerns for the sports future.

Commonwealth Games fallout for Bowls NSW.

It’s not the sexiest sport on the menu, but in recent years lawn bowls has taken great strides to shake its retiree image.

From youthful gold medallists to the glam and glitz of the Bowls Premier League, the sport has cracked television’s live time.

Now on the back of Victorian Premier Dan Andrews’ announcement to abandon the 2026 Commonwealth Games, there’s genuine fears for the long term future.

A regular since the inaugural edition of what started as the British Empire Games, aspiring bowlers have targeted the event since 1930.

“The Comm Games is the pinnacle of the sport,” said Bowls New South Wales CEO Tim Rowe.

“Some of our bowlers train their whole lives for it. So to have the uncertainty will have a large number including the para athletes on edge.”

Bowls Gold: Aaron Wilson celebrates with Australian teammates at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)

A former middle distance runner and Australian rep, Rowe is concerned for both the immediate and long term future.

“We are disappointed with the decision and I am disappointed in general, having been an athlete myself, I understand the human impact that these administrative decisions can have on athletes and their support networks,” said Rowe.

“We stand with our athletes and will continue to champion and support their hard work, dedication and sacrifice not matter the outcome.”

A major contributor to the national program, NSW bowlers accounted for 60 per cent of the squad at the Birmingham 2022 Comm Games.

“We need heroes in our sport, and we are not short of them here in NSW, said Rowe. “We need the light of the Comm Games to shine brightly on these heroes long into the future.”

Heroes like Ellen Ryan, the 25-year-old dual Birmingham gold medallist who arrived home amid a media frenzy and received the key to her home city of Goulburn.

Goulburn’s finest: Ellen Ryan scores gold in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

“As recently appointed leader of this organisation, we are currently redefining our high performance pathways model in collaboration with Bowls Australia, and the Comm Games is centre stage to the pathways model,” said Rowe before alluding to the potential long term implications.

“Success is really defined by medal count and at the end of the day the Comm Games medal count is a key definer in funding for sport. So if the games don’t go ahead, who knows?”

And it’s not only on the greens where the impact will be felt.

“Many of our athletes work in the bowling industry, and there is a clear and strong connection between them and our broader membership, making this announcement all the more personal and difficult to accept on behalf of our athletes.”