A national snooker federation should stand for?

A national snooker federation should stand for the holistic development, promotion, and governance of snooker within its country. This involves a wide range of responsibilities and a clear mission to foster the sport at all levels.

Here are the key areas a national snooker federation should focus on:

1. Promotion and Development:

 * Grow the game: Actively promote snooker to a wider audience, attracting new players of all ages, genders, and abilities. This includes grassroots initiatives, school programs, and community engagement.

 * Increase participation: Create pathways for players from beginner to elite, ensuring opportunities for recreational play, local leagues, and competitive tournaments.

 * Inclusive sport: Champion diversity and inclusion, ensuring snooker is accessible and welcoming to everyone, including women, people with disabilities, and various age groups (juniors, seniors).

2. Governance and Integrity:

 * Standardize rules: Uphold and apply the official rules of snooker as established by international governing bodies (like the WPBSA).

 * Maintain integrity: Implement and enforce conduct regulations, anti-doping policies, and rules of discipline to ensure fair play and combat corruption (e.g., betting irregularities).

 * Transparent administration: Operate with strong governance, transparency, and accountability in all its operations, including financial management and decision-making.

3. Competition and Pathways:

 * Organize events: Plan, organize, and coordinate a comprehensive national competition structure, including championships, ranking events, and various tournaments for different skill levels and demographics.

 * Create elite pathways: Establish clear routes for talented players to progress from amateur to professional levels, potentially linking with international tours and events (like the World Snooker Tour).

 * Talent identification and development: Implement programs to identify and nurture promising snooker talent, providing coaching and support to help them reach their full potential.

4. Support and Resources:

 * Support clubs and facilities: Provide guidance, resources, and support to snooker clubs, helping to improve playing facilities and fostering a thriving environment for the sport.

 * Coach development: Establish and encourage high standards of coaching, offering training and certification programs for coaches.

 * Referee training: Provide comprehensive training and development for referees and officials to ensure consistent and fair officiating at all levels of competition.

 * Player welfare: Consider initiatives for player welfare, such as mental health support, travel assistance, and insurance for elite players.

5. Representation and Collaboration:

 * Liaise with international bodies: Maintain strong relationships with international snooker organizations (e.g., IBSF, WSF, WPBSA) to align with global standards, participate in international events, and advocate for the sport's interests.

 * Advocate for snooker: Work towards recognition of snooker as a legitimate sport by national sports authorities and potentially seek inclusion in multi-sport games (e.g., Olympic Games, if applicable at a national level).

 * Collaboration: Foster collaboration among all stakeholders in the snooker community, including players, coaches, clubs, and volunteers.

In essence, a national snooker federation should be the central pillar for the sport's growth, integrity, and accessibility within its country, creating an environment where snooker can flourish for everyone.