ORANGE'S Jason Belmonte was unable to hide his disappointment at a decision to deny tenpin bowling entry to the Olympic Games.
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On Monday night the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) announced five sports which they would recommend to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for inclusion in the 2020 games, to be held in the Japanese capital.
Tenpin bowling missed out, with a baseball-softball joint bid, karate, skateboarding, climbing and surfing all gaining admission.
The decision will deny Belmonte - a multiple US Masters and Professional Bowlers Association Tournament of Champions winner - the chance to add Olympic gold to his trophy cabinet.
After playing a key role in his sport's application for admission in August the two-handed bowler was frustrated with the decision.
"It's with great disappointment that I have to announce that bowling will not have a chance at inclusion into the Tokyo 2020 Games," Belmonte wrote on his Facebook page.
"I respect the decision made by the Japanese Olympic Committee, even though I couldn't disagree more with them."
Other sports to miss out after making the initial cut of eight were squash and wushu, a form of martial art.
The list of approved sports will be officially submitted to the IOC by the end of the month, with their ratification by the international body seen as a mere formality.
Fujio Mitarai, chairman of the JOC's committee for selecting new sports, said it picked the five sports as they are popular among younger generations and have wide support in Japan.
Under the Olympic reforms approved last December the IOC has abolished the cap of 28 sports for the summer games while maintaining a limit of 10,500 athletes and 310 medal events.
Importantly, host cities can propose additional events.
In baseball-mad Japan, the sport - dropped from the Olympics along with softball after the 2008 Beijing Games - would be a money-spinner for Tokyo organisers, worth an estimated extra $50 million in ticket sales.
Belmonte, arguably tenpin's most recognisable face, called for disappointed bowling fans around the world to rally behind their sport.
"We may not have the support of the Olympics, but what we do have is an industry of over 100 international federations, millions of loyal bowlers, many more millions of loyal fans and the will to never give up on our sport," he wrote.
"Now is the time for you, your friends, your associations, the governing bodies, the professional organisations and bowling centre proprietors to unite and grow this game together."