ITO Accreditation

International Technical Officials (ITOs)

The final step in the Officiating pathway is the International Technical Official (ITO). This accreditation is a World Bowls accreditation and is designed for those already accredited as National Umpires who wish to umpire at national and international events, and at events such as the Australian Open, Commonwealth Games, and other major events. Information on how to become an ITO, including qualifying criteria is available on the World Bowls website.

It should be noted that for country umpires, umpiring and marking at Zone and Regional level would meet the qualifying criteria.

The Umpire’s Committee is very keen to encourage and assist new and existing umpires to pursue an ITO accreditation. Assessments are usually conducted annually in Western Australia, depending on numbers. Umpires interested in an ITO accreditation can contact the Bowls WA Umpires Committee for further information.

The World Championships are to be held on the Gold Coast in Aug/Sept. Congratulations to ITOs from W.A. - Vicki Eva (Mosman Park), Ryan Havercroft (South Perth), Sue Hogg and Sharon Lyster (Manning) on their selection by World Bowls for this event.

Presenters and Assessors

The Umpires’ Committee has conducted Zoom meetings with many of the Presenters and Assessors throughout the state to explain:

• changes in the application forms for New Umpires, Markers/Measurers and Reaccrediting Umpires.

• Course outlines for the On-Green components for SelfPaced learning and Reaccreditation of Umpires. The new Self-Paced learning is designed primarily for prospective umpires residing in areas where the distance between themselves and P and As is problematic. Face to Face learning is still the preferred training method for officials.

New Laws and New Law Book

In 2021, a review of Crystal Mark Third Edition was undertaken by World Bowls and the Crystal Mark Fourth Edition was approved in August 2022.

The Crystal Mark Fourth Edition is available on the World Bowls Website, together with the alterations to Crystal Mark Third Edition. Crystal Mark Fourth Edition must be introduced in all countries by April 1st 2023.

In Australia, any new competitions commencing after April 1st 2023 will be played under the new laws – Crystal Mark Fourth Edition. Any competition which has commenced prior to April 1st 2023 will continue under the Crystal Mark Third Edition (3.2) until that competition is complete.

Changes to Domestic Regulations in the Bowls Australia Law Book will be minimal. The changes will only involve clarification of existing Domestic Regulations. There has been much debate around two new laws which were approved and included within. Law 37.1: Bowl Displacement by another player.

An interpretation of these laws has been provided by World Bowls:

These laws have been introduced to alleviate the situation of a player stopping one of their own team’s bowls from disturbing the head and gaining an advantage either by lifting a bowl at rest or stopping their bowl in its original course. These are:

Law 37.1.3 If a bowl in its original course is deliberately displaced or stopped by a member of the team that delivered the bowl, the defaulting team will forfeit the game to their opponent. or

Law 37.1.5.3 If a player lifts a bowl at rest on their rink to allow their team’s bowl in its original course to pass, the defaulting team will forfeit the game to their opponent.

The World Bowls Laws Committee felt that the clear deliberate intent by a player to interfere with their own bowls in this way should warrant a more severe penalty which would be the forfeiture of the game.

The new laws were not introduced to ‘punish’ players that stop a bowl from entering the ditch that hasn’t disturbed the head. The Laws Committee understands this occurs on a regular basis but it is a timely reminder and a key message from the Laws Committee that no bowl belonging to the players on the rink of play should be lifted, stopped or displaced. Other laws are available to deal with situations where bowls displace other bowls and the jack and these should still be applied accordingly.

Please note that these laws do not come into effect until April 1st 2023. This interpretation strongly suggests that players must not lift, stop or displace any bowl belonging to a player on their rink of play.

Use of Equipment

Umpires are reminded that if called to resolve a dispute requiring measuring for shot or deciding whether a bowl or jack is in play or not, measuring equipment must be used. Making decisions using the naked eye is not acceptable.

Law 43.2.2 clearly states – The umpire must measure any disputed shot or shots using suitable measuring equipment such as that described in Law 54.