For us as EPBF, and our activities such as European Championships and Euro Tour events, this unfortunately means that for the time being, just like last year, we have to keep looking at what is possible and what is not yet possible. Naturally, we as the EPBF board, together with our partners, will remain alert and do everything we can to make decisions in a responsible manner, and thus the planning and execution of events. Even if decisions are difficult for our members, we still hope that you all will and can understand that it is often inevitable to make such a decision. However, you can be convinced that the EPBF board will continue to do everything, as always, also from 2021 onwards, to promote our beloved sport, as well as the interests of our members, in a positive and responsible manner. All this, of course, within the framework of our capabilities and statutory guidelines.
We will also ensure that you are all will be informed about these developments as well as possible. However, we would also like to point out that this responsibility also extends to our members. By this I mean that the information we send as the EPBF board must also reach the athletes. This responsibility lies entirely with you as an EPBF member. It still happens regularly that we hear from athletes that the information provision does not fully penetrate to the base. There is still a real challenge for us here. However, we are convinced that we all will not look away from this task and we offer our help here too. Ideas and new initiatives are very welcome.
As said. The year 2021 unfortunately starts with the same problems as much as of 2020, but we can only stay positive. There is light at the end of the tunnel and as soon as it is safe and possible, we will start again with the events.
Stay healthy and continue to believe in a happy ending. After rain comes sunshine!!!
On behalf of the EPBF Board,
Gre Leenders, President EPBF
Euro Tour events in February 2021:
It is with regrets that we have to inform you all that due to the current situation within Europa when it comes to Covid-19, we had to cancel the events. Please inform your members about this decision. We will also send out a message to our athletes E-mail data-base to spread the word as much as possible.
European Championship M-W-U23 & WHC athletes 2021 in Turkey:
At the moment it is not finally decided if the event will take place or will be postponed. It goes without saying that we hope that the event will take place in April / May 2021 but it is still an open question.
The EPBF board will discuss the matter during their first 2021 EPBF Board meeting – Video Conference at 23.01.2021 and along with that we will have an online meeting with the Turkish Billiard Federation, as the host country, at 30.01.2021. After these meeting a final decision will be made and of course you will be informed.
IOC / WCBS / WPA Information:
As already mentioned in the EPBF member letter of November 2020, the WPA has asked for additional information about the (estimated) number of people per country playing pool. As explained in the November letter, the WPA and we as the EPBF, understand that this is a very difficult question but it can be a great help to increase our status within the Olympic movement. For this it is also important that numbers are not just "called out", but it only makes sense if something of substantiation is added. Inquiries at official bodies, pool halls or the Chamber of Commerce should be the guiding principle here. We therefore ask you to take a serious look at this and to investigate in order to be able to arrive at a substantiated statement in any case.
Attached with this letter we do add a short questionnaire. Please try to fill these questions with answers to the best of your ability and with a serious approach.
The deadline for sending back the questionnaire is 15.02.2021.