Lane patterns and the Olympics have no connection. What kept bowling out of consideration for a long time was the split governance between the ABC and WIBC. Bowling was told to consolidate and did under the USBC banner, but then more roadblocks were thrown up in the path. I guess the IOC didn't think U.S. bowlers would ever vote to merge but they did, and so the IOC had to invent other hoops to jump through.

Anything the United States does well will be met with incredible resistance at the IOC level -- witness the saga of baseball. Seeing the addition of the stunt-type skiing and snowboard events in the winter games constitutes one of the biggest shocks of my life. It's especially tough for a sport without a worldwide overseeing body to get approved. But I don't know if there is enough support for a global rulemaking body to oversee bowling both U.S. and abroad. I also think given how bowlers were baited and switched on the USBC issue, U.S. bowlers would never opt to give up control to a global organization.

However, the lane patterns have nothing to do with it. All the IOC has to do is mandate a single pattern for all Olympic play and everyone would gladly adhere to it. What happens outside Olympic play is irrelevant -- just because regional skiing events aren't conducted under Olympic conditions, for instance, has no bearing on their inclusion into the Games.

Jess