Dear UK Showdown

It is with a great deal of regret that we find it necessary to set out our concerns in such an open and public way. Regardless of age, culture or previous involvement with other sports, many of us (the wider Showdown community in England) were immediately drawn to Showdown by the accessibility, the fun and creativity of the sport, and most especially the community of genuine and helpful players, referees and coaches that has blossomed around it.

We cannot begin to imagine the plethora of logistical and financial difficulties which UK Showdown faced as it desperately tried to introduce and popularise a new VI sport in a country that had never heard of it, and we will always be grateful for their efforts in this regard.

However, in 2026, the national championships were attended by 11 clubs, fielding 44 players from across the length and breadth of England. This does not even begin to cover the number of players who did not participate, or the clubs who (for various reasons) were not ready or able to take part. Such exponential growth inevitably brings with it new governance and logistical challenges. In light of recent events, we have become convinced that UK Showdown, as it is currently constituted, is either unwilling or unable to meet those challenges.

Our concerns:

Transparency

The continued growth of Showdown in the UK means that it is becoming increasingly important that all clubs, wherever they are, are kept informed of significant developments as they happen. Currently, the only platform on which these announcements are shared is a WhatsApp group. This is made even more precarious due to the fact that the group doesn’t have a representative from each established team.

Even on this group, announcements are sporadic, and responses to relevant questions are often not forthcoming. There have been instances of emails from within the wider Showdown community that have also gone unanswered.

This inability to communicate is most clearly demonstrated when it comes to sharing information regarding open international tournaments or opportunities to play abroad. These occasions represent a fantastic way for players at all levels to gain experience and make connections. UK Showdown doesn’t inform the community of such tournaments ahead of time, thus preventing players from expressing interest or signing up. Due to this inaction, we all miss out.

Ranked competitions, in which the UK participates, are often announced shortly before the entry deadlines. When players are selected to represent the UK, the criteria used to make these decisions are not shared with the community. This means that players who are interested in being considered for future opportunities do not know how to progress in order to make the cut.

We understand that UK Showdown is currently in the process of obtaining registered charity status, and that certain other structural changes are also in contemplation. However, this has been intimated for an extended period, and no concrete information has been provided. Equally, the community has been given no opportunity to feed into any discussions regarding how UK Showdown can best serve it or its interests. Simply put, we do not know how we will fit into the organisation’s roadmap.

Player Development

With only two national tournaments a year, and the inability for every existing club to send players to participate, the opportunities for progression are limited.

There are also clubs who are, for a multitude of reasons, unable to field the teams for league fixtures. This doesn’t only impact them and the development of their players, but affords other teams in their division less opportunities to play on a wide variety of tables, meet new players and experience stricter playing conditions. These league matches have formed an essential stepping stone for clubs who would like to send more players to the national tournaments as mentioned above.

Additionally, new clubs are not given structured support or checked in with regularly, meaning that any support they receive is provided by the willingness of existing players to travel and train, at their own expense. There is a clear need for more structured training sessions similar to the “girl’s days”, which have been so well received.

The need for support doesn’t only affect new clubs though. There is a clear imbalance between the opportunities afforded to players in the south of England, and northern teams are left largely to fend for themselves. Given the drastic increase in Showdown in that region over the last 18 months, this lack of support is particularly egregious.

Accountability

It is widely understood that any reference made to UK Showdown refers exclusively to two or three individuals, all from a single club. The decisions it makes have a profound impact on the experiences of clubs and players around the country, and it is clear that this autocratic style of governance is neither representative nor fair. It is also worth knowing that the transparency and development issues outlined above would also be somewhat improved if a more collaborative approach was encouraged.

In the past, important safeguarding concerns have barely been acknowledged. This is compounded by critical decisions made about players without informing them or the clubs they play for. In addition, players who raise concerns are directly or indirectly told that they are “complaining”, or given assurances that systems of governance will change.

The majority of the visually impaired community knows the feeling of being undermined by large organisations or governance structures. Far too often, our voices go unheard and the concerns we raise go unanswered. Sport has brought so many of us together who might never otherwise have met. It is discouraging to feel like this is just another example of overarching bodies making decisions for the collective. Nothing about us without us means nothing if those who are trying to suggest changes are ignored.

Our Solutions

Ultimately, it is not our intention to completely upend the foundation on which Showdown in the UK is played. There is, however, a clear need for reform.

The concerns we have raised demonstrate that the UK Showdown community would be best served by a democratic system. The Governing Body would include a representative from each club, and future elections would ensure that decisions are always taken with everyone’s best interests at heart.

We would also recommend that official communications and newsletters be distributed through a more accessible, formalised communication channels such as email, which any interested party could subscribe to.

With respect to tournaments, the selection for ranked competitions must be publicly disclosed and consistently applied. Any changes to these criteria must be voted upon, and communicated to the community once agreed.

In the case of open tournaments or international friendlies, final decisions regarding who may attend and on what basis must always be left in the hands of the relevant club. While it is strongly encouraged to communicate these decisions to UK Showdown, this is exclusively for informational purposes.

Conclusion

We deserve a fairer, more democratic future, built on trust and mutual respect. We cannot be taken seriously as a competitive nation if our players do not have faith in the National Governing Body that represents them.

Currently, our interests are not being represented or respected.

This needs to change.

Yours sincerely

We the undersigned