Bowling Time Trip July 1, 1992 [Published July 2019]

Make bowling an official Olympic sport!
Special lanes opened in the Barcelona Athletes' Village

“Making bowling an official Olympic sport” is the long-cherished wish not only of the JBC (Japan Bowling Congress) but of bowling organizations around the world.
With the realization of its first participation as an exhibition sport at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, efforts to lobby the IOC (International Olympic Committee) became more active.
At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, with the full cooperation of the U.S.-based Brunswick Corporation, special lanes (16 lanes) were installed in the Athletes' Village. They were opened to representative athletes gathered from all over the world, IOC officials, and even volunteer staff working in the village. Since opening on July 1, the lanes were bustling every day, and it is said that the total number of games played reached 24,000 by the 28th (the fourth day of the games).
On that day, the 28th, Kengo Tagata and Tomoko Hatanaka of the national team (at the time) dispatched by the JBC held a friendly match that also served as a bowling demonstration against the U.S. representative male and female FIQ World Champions. In addition, many key IOC figures, including President Juan Antonio Samaranch, visited to inspect the facility during the event. Unfortunately, however, despite the efforts of those involved, the sport has yet to be included, not only in the '96 Atlanta Olympics four years later but even in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.