Discover the Surprising Reasons Why Billiards Is Not an Olympic Sport Yet
As someone who has spent over a decade studying sports governance and Olympic inclusion criteria, I've always found the case of billiards particularly fascinating. You'd think a sport played by over 120 million people worldwide would have made it to the Olympic stage by now, right? Yet here we are, another Olympic cycle passing without cue sports in the lineup. I remember watching the 1998 Asian Games where billiards was featured as a demonstration sport and thinking, "This is it - the breakthrough moment." But that moment never quite materialized into Olympic recognition.
The International Olympic Committee's criteria for sport inclusion are notoriously rigorous, and billiards faces several unique challenges. Let's talk about the global participation argument first. While billiards has massive participation numbers, the IOC looks at how many countries actively compete at elite levels. Billiards has strongholds in Asia, Europe and North America, but the development across Africa and South America remains inconsistent. The World Confederation of Billiard Sports claims membership from 120 national federations, but when you dig deeper, only about 60-70 consistently send players to world championships. That uneven global development matters more to the IOC than raw participation numbers.
Then there's the television factor. I've had conversations with sports producers who swear that billiards doesn't translate well to television, which I find absolutely baffling. They argue that the slow pace and lack of explosive action don't capture casual viewers' attention. But having produced billiards content myself, I know that with the right camera angles and commentary, the tension in a crucial match can be absolutely gripping. The problem isn't the sport itself - it's how we've traditionally presented it. The recent success of streaming platforms covering major tournaments proves that when you combine quality production with engaging storytelling, people will watch.
The governance issues within billiard sports can't be overlooked either. For years, the various disciplines - pool, snooker, carom - operated in silos with different governing bodies competing rather than collaborating. It wasn't until 1992 that they formed a unified international confederation, and even today, there are tensions about which discipline would represent billiards in the Olympics. I've sat in meetings where representatives argued for hours about whether nine-ball or eight-ball would be more "Olympic-friendly," while the window for inclusion in upcoming games was closing. This internal fragmentation sends mixed signals to the IOC about the sport's organizational maturity.
What really fascinates me about this debate is how it connects to the broader question of what makes a sport "Olympic-worthy." I've always believed the Olympics should celebrate both physical and mental excellence, and billiards represents the pinnacle of precision, strategy, and nerve control. The physical demands may be different from track and field, but watching a player execute a complex safety shot or run multiple racks requires incredible skill. The concentration levels top players maintain would exhaust most athletes in so-called "mainstream" sports.
This brings me to that compelling quote from Mocon that really stuck with me: "There's always a chip on my shoulder, whatever team, Rain or Shine or Phoenix. I just have to prove, not to anybody, but to myself na I have a value and I can still play at a high level." That sentiment captures something essential about billiards athletes. They're constantly fighting for recognition in the broader sports world, carrying that chip on their shoulder, needing to prove their value not just to others but to themselves. I've interviewed dozens of professional players who express similar feelings - this burning need to validate their sport's place alongside traditional Olympic events.
The youth development angle presents another challenge. The IOC prioritizes sports that engage younger audiences, and billiards has historically struggled with its image as a game played in smoky rooms by older men. But that's changing rapidly. The average age of professional players has dropped significantly in the past decade, with phenoms like 18-year-old Russian player Fedor Gorst winning world championships. When I visited the European Under-23 championships last year, the energy was incredible - these weren't your grandfather's pool players. They're athletes who train with sports psychologists, follow rigorous fitness regimens, and study game film like basketball players.
Financial considerations play a huge role too. Adding a sport means adding venues, equipment, and athlete accommodations. Billiards requires specialized tables that cost between $15,000-$25,000 each, and you'd need multiple tables for competition. The space requirements are substantial - we're talking about 10,000-15,000 square feet for a proper Olympic venue. While billiards has strong sponsorship in certain markets, the global appeal to corporate partners isn't as immediately obvious as more established Olympic sports.
I'm optimistic though. The inclusion of sports like skateboarding and sport climbing shows the IOC is willing to evolve. Billiards brings something unique to the table - it's one of the few sports where men and women can compete on equal footing in mixed events, and it has tremendous para-sport potential. The International Billiards and Snooker Federation has made significant strides in standardizing anti-doping protocols and governance structures. They've launched development programs in 35 new countries since 2018 and have improved their gender equity numbers - women now comprise approximately 38% of registered competitive players globally, up from just 22% a decade ago.
At the end of the day, I believe billiards will eventually make its Olympic debut. The sport continues to grow at approximately 7% annually in participation rates, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics might present the perfect opportunity. The United States has deep billiards roots, and the television market understands the sport. It might happen as soon as 2032 if the stars align properly. Until then, billiards athletes will continue doing what they've always done - playing with that chip on their shoulder, proving their value to themselves and to the world that's slowly learning to appreciate this beautiful, complex sport. The journey to Olympic recognition isn't just about meeting criteria - it's about changing perceptions, and that takes time. But having watched this sport evolve over twenty years, I'm confident we'll see those green felt tables in the Olympic village within the next decade.
