World Confederation of Billiards Sport (WCBS), the umbrella organisation that represents the three sports of pool, carom and snooker, submitted a bid for the 2020 Games in January, but was one of 18 Federations not to make the shortlist of eight chosen by organisers in June.

Anderson claimed organisers and International Olympic Committee officials were impressed by the presentation, however, and remains confident the sport can get over the line.

"We'll have a much improved chance for 2024," Anderson told Xinhua at the WPA Women’s World 9-ball World Championship which concluded in Guilin, China, on Sunday (November 8).

"But it also depends on how they choose the sports.

"The standard seems to be changing all the time.

"It is not very easy.

"A lot of sports are competing."

British nine-ball pool star Kelly Fisher is optimistic about her sport’s chances of featuring at the Olympics, claiming it deserved its place "many years ago".

"I'm not sure why it's already not [in the Olympics]," said Fisher, who is also a multiple world snooker champion.

"Some sports already in the Olympics are not as popular as billiard."

Pan Xiaoting, the first nine-ball world champion from China, echoed Fisher’s belief.

"It will be an Olympic sport eventually, sooner or later," said the 33-year-old.

"To me, it's just about whether I am still able to play in the Olympics."

Billiard sports first featured on the Asian Games programme at the 1998 edition in Bangkok, but was among several sports cut from last year’s event in Incheon by the Olympic Council of Asia.

Simon Chang, the executive scrutineer of the Chinese Taipei Billiard Association, added: "Thirty years ago when I said that billiard should be in the Asian Games, they thought I was crazy.

"So why can't it be in the Olympics?"

In April of this year, five-time world snooker champion Ronnie O’Sullivan said he feels his sport does not deserve a place on the Olympic programme, claiming winning a "World Championship, UK Championship or Masters title would always come before Olympic gold".


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