When is my annual ESMBA subscription due?
The ESMBA registration year runs from 1st September until 31st August and subscriptions must be received by the ESMBA Membership Secretary via your club by 30th October.
Can my club play a match against another club that is not registered with the ESMBA?
No, not without the specific permission of the ESMBA Management Committee. Clubs playing without permission may be expelled or suspended from the ESMBA. Competitions in aid of charity, however, are exempt.
Why register with the ESMBA?
The ESMBA is the national governing body of the sport in England and as such promotes, fosters and regulates the sport and approves the playing rules of the game. It enables fully registered players to play in local league matches* and any competition or tournament organised by the ESMBA or an ESMBA county association, including the National Championships, Inter-County Competition and National Team Competition. As a benefit of individual affiliation to the ESMBA you also automatically receive personal accident insurance cover in connection with organised short mat bowls activities, including commuting to and from your destination. Registered clubs have access to insurance schemes for equipment and/or civil liability arranged with a specialist broker at preferential rates by the ESMBA. So if you wish to benefit from any of the above you will need to register. The club registration fee for 2023/24 is £16.00 while the player registration fee is £7.00. This policy is designed to prevent those who have chosen not to join, and therefore not contribute to the ESMBA, from receiving the benefits of competitions arranged for ESMBA members. In addition, registered clubs may only play matches against other registered clubs.
I am a member of two Short Mat Clubs. Do I need to register with the ESMBA via both clubs?
Players cannot be registered with the ESMBA more than once at the same time and must only register via one club.
I live in Surrey but the short mat club where I am a member is affiliated with the ESMBA via London County Association, can I play for Surrey County?
Just as individual players must register with the ESMBA via one club only, each club may only register with one county association. Players may only represent the county where their main or only club is registered. Therefore you can only represent London County in the current registration year. Players wishing to transfer from one county to another during the year my apply to the ESMBA but permission will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Alternatively, if you join a club registered with Surrey in the current registration year, you could register with the ESMBA through this new club next year. Provided you make the ESMBA Membership Secretary aware of the situation you would then be eligible to play for Surrey. However, players wishing to transfer counties without moving residence must be registered with their new county for one whole season before being eligible to play in the ICC.
Does my club have to be registered in the county where it is geographically located?
Although clubs are normally registered in the county where they reside, a club may apply instead to an adjacent county association. If the geographic county association makes an objection or the application is refused by the adjacent county association, then the club may refer the matter to the ESMBA Management Committee for a ruling.
* This applies to London County, other county associations may differ.
