On 7 September 2019, an English Pool Association EGM approved the removal of restrictions preventing players from taking part in EPA events because they also played alternative rules or competed with other organisations.
What the September 2019 decision changed
The proposal stated that, with immediate effect, rules preventing participation solely because a player used another ruleset, entered events run by another organisation, or played in other associations would be removed.
This was an important governance change in the World Rules era because it widened player freedom across the EPA competition structure.
Part of a wider 2019 policy change
The September decision followed an earlier EPA AGM vote on 16 March 2019 that had already relaxed restrictions around players competing under both World Rules and Blackball Rules up to County level. The September EGM went further by removing the broader restriction based on alternative organisations and events.
Read the March 2019 EPA AGM decision and the later EPA adoption of International Rules from 2023. More historical governance and playing-standard changes are collected in the Pool Rules archive.
Historical governance record: the decision took effect from the EPA EGM held on 7 September 2019.