• 12th World Team Olympiad Open and Women Series

Please note that it is extremely important for each NBO to send a team to enhance our Olympic image and also to ensure that all NBOs will be eligible to qualify for the 2005 Bermuda Bowl and Venice Cup.

• Entry fees: US $3,000 per team
• It is anticipated that the RR stage will initially be organized with different groups and NBOs are requested to confirm their participation as early as possible but in any case no later than 15 May 2004 in order that that the draw can be made early, which will be of advantage to all participants.
• Names of the players will be needed by 01 July 2004 in order that the programme can be prepared.
• The RR stage will be played from Sunday 24 to Saturday 30 October 2004.
• Players eliminated from the World Team Olympiad may play free of charge in the 3rd World Transnational Mixed Teams Championship

 • 2nd Seniors International Cup

• Entry fees: US$ 3,000 per team (includes the entry fee to the World Transnational Mixed Teams held during the second week)
• This event is for national teams who will compete in a RR to be played from Sunday 24 to Saturday 30 October (i.e.during the first week of the Olympiad.)
• Each WBF Member NBO is entitled to send one national team to compete in the Senior International Cup.
• Players competing in the Senior International Cup must be at least 55 years of age on the first day of this competition.
• NBOs are requested to confirm that they will be sending a team to participate in the Senior International Cup by 15 May 2004 andn ames of the players must be submitted to the WBF no later than 01 July 2004
• Players who participated in the Senior International Cup may play free of charge in the 3rd World Transnational Mixed TeamsChampionship.

 • 3rd World Transnational Mixed Teams Championship

This event has been a successful and exciting Championship since its inception in Rhodes when 86 teams competed. We feel sure that many players would enjoy participating in this challenging event, which gives them the opportunity of pitting their bridge skills against some of the greatest players in the World as well has having the chance to watch the exciting final stages of the World Team Olympiad on the expert View-Graph presentation.

• Entry fees:
      free for the eliminated players
      US $800 for a new team
  If a team is composed of players eliminated from the Olympiad together with players who have not competed in the Olympiad, the players who have not competed will be charged US $150 per head if it is a team of six, or $200 perhead if it is a team of four.
• Teams must consist of at least two women and two men from any country, playing in Mixed partnerships.
• The Transnational Mixed Teams will be played during the second week of the Championships starting on either Monday 01 or Tuesday 02 November. The exact dates will be announced as soon as they are known. The knock out phase will start on either Thursday 04 or Friday 05 and end on Saturday 06 November.
• Teams wishing to enter this event should contact their NBO as soon as possible to request nomination. In any event entries should be made before 15th August 2004, although late entries may be accepted provided there is sufficient space at the venue.

 • 2nd World University Bridge Team Championship

It is very important that each of the main NBOs should make every effort to send a team to this tournament as the staging of this event is an important part of the WBF strategy in support of its IOC policy and its aim to obtain Government and Olympic Committee recognition for bridge as a sport in as many countries as possible.

• Played under the auspices of the FISU (Fédération Internationale des Sports Universitaires)
• Entry to World University Teams Bridge Cup is free
• This event is for University teams who will compete in a RR to be played from Saturday 30 October to Saturday 6 November 2004 (i.e.during the second week of the Olympiad.)
• Minimum age 17, maximum 28
• Accommodation: very inexpensive accommodation has been arranged for this event. Participants will stay at the Burhan Felek Sports Complex-Sports Hotel which is located on the Asian side of Istanbul. Each of the hotel's 60 rooms is equipped with two beds, TV, WC and shower. Breakfast and dinner will be served in the complex, while a lunch box will be given to the participants at the Venue. The Venue where the other events will also be played is on the European site, 11 km from the complex. The distance between the airport and the complex is about 35 km.
• NBOs are requested to confirm that they will be sending a team to participate in the World University Teams Bridge Cup by 15 May 2004 and names of the players must be submitted to the WBF no later than1 July 2004

• For other details on the 2nd World University Bridge Team Championship, click here

 • Schedule

 • Registration

Please assist us by ensuring that you respect the deadlines for entries, team names and payments of entry fees which are as follows:

All NBOs are reminded that national teams should be selected in accordance with the WBF Eligibility Regulations published in the WBF Directory, on the WBF Website (rules section) and on www.ecatsbridge.com.

 • Conditions of Contest

The World Team Olympiad competitions will be held in accordance with:

• WBF General Conditions of Contest
• Amendments on WBF General Conditions of Contest (September 2004)
• WBF Anti-Doping Regulations
• Supplemental Conditions of Contest

 The above files are in PDF format, which requires Adobe® Acrobat.

 • Contact

If bank transfer is not possible, please contact Mrs Christine Francin at the WBF office, who will discuss possible alternative arrangements for payment.

 • Rules

Since an official FISU World Championship is concerned, this sports manifestation will, on the one hand follow, the FISU rules and procedures and, on the other hand, the WBF regulations for the bridge competition.

Thus FISU rules provide inter alia the following:

• The subscriptions will be reserved exclusively for the National University Sports Federations that are members of the FISU and also for non-affiliated University Sports Organisations, as well as a country that is affiliated with the WBF (inscription form in annex 2 – model obligatory)

• Are only allowed to participate:

• students who are officially registered and pursuing a full time course of study at a university or similar institute whose status as a university is recognised by the appropriate national academic authority of their country;
• former students of institutions mentioned in point a) who have obtained their academic degree or diploma in the year preceding the event.

Moreover the participants have to live up to the following conditions:

• be a national of the country they represent
• be at least 17 and less than 28 years of age on January 1 st in the year of the event. For 2004 this means being born between 1 January 1976 and 31 December 1986.

Upon arrival all these facts will be thoroughly checked by a nominated FISU representative.

Other additional formalities and/or procedures will be announced after subscription.

Since, as already mentioned, on the one hand the FISU rules and procedures have to be followed and on the other hand the National University Sports Federations – with a few exceptions – do not yet recognise bridge as a sports branch, the Organising Committee advises you as follows:

• In annex you will find a copy of the invitation and the accompanying letter that was sent to your National University Sports Federation.
• If your bridge federation responds positively to the present proposal – which I very much hope will be the case – it is appropriate that you contact the National Sports Federation to receive its formal agreement. Problems of selection and finances then have to be discussed. It is expected that both problems will be solved by your Bridge Federation.
• It is recommended that you fill out the registration form completely together with your National Sports Federation and send the original, before the 1 st May 2004, to the Secretary-General of the FISU with two copies to the Organising Committee.

 • Conditions of Entry

The conditions of entry are stipulated as follows:

• FISU has fixed the daily contribution on US$ 45 per delegate (player or official), covering the costs of stay in full board and all other cultural and official manifestations.
• FISU has fixed the subscription fee per delegate at US$ 20.

For the Entry forms click on the appropriate:

• General

• Individual Competitor

• Nominative

• Quantitative

 • Contact Address