Lawn bowls rocked by match-fixing allegation

The genteel world of lawn bowls has been rocked by match-fixing allegations after the New Zealand national team was accused of deliberately losing to Thailand. The allegation, which has been denied by the team but is being investigated after causing alarm at the sport's governing body World Bowls, has thrown the hushed, favourite outdoor game of retired gentlefolk into acrimony.

Bowls New Zealand said it would hold a misconduct hearing based on claims by Canada and World Bowls that a men's four - starring a two-time world champion player Gary Lawson - deliberately lost a match to Thailand by 17-15 at last month's Asia-Pacific Championships in Malaysia.

New Zealand had already qualified for the next stage in the world championships, but Canada alleged New Zealand had lost in order to gain a more favourable quarter-final draw. The team has been stood down from the New Zealand squad pending a hearing by an independent judicial panel convened by Bowls New Zealand.



Lawson, 43, angrily denied the allegations and has refused to represent his country again. "The bottom line is the allegation of throwing a game we totally deny," he said. He said he was angry that Bowls New Zealand had conducted an investigation and had now launched judicial proceedings. We have been found guilty and now we have to prove our innocence."

Another member of the team, Jamie Hill, said he was appalled at his treatment. "It's a pretty harsh thing being accused of cheating and basically being publicly shamed," he said.

"They (Bowls New Zealand) have tried to save face themselves and have thrown us aside and said we did it, when we didn't."