Keith Boleat was one of three Islanders competing in the European Veterans Triples in the Danish capital of Copenhagen.
But he was forced to play much of the competition with borrowed boules – after his bag containing three metal balls, a phone charger and lead raised the eyebrows of security officials on the continent.
He was eventually reunited with his kit, and the team finished runners up in the knock-out section of the event.
Steve Foster, team manager, said: ‘Keith was able to track the progress of his bag online and saw that it had been held up for investigation.
‘He had three metal balls and a phone charger in his bag and they thought it was parts for a bomb. I’m not aware of anything like this ever happening before and the reaction from people at the competition was one of amusement.
‘I think the organisers found it quite funny.
‘It was obviously unsettling for Keith though as he had to play with borrowed boules.’
Mr Boleat’s problems began when his bag was lost somewhere on the Jersey to Gatwick leg of the journey last Thursday ahead of the start of the competition the following day.
The team then flew direct from the London airport to Copenhagen and the bag was eventually placed on another flight to Amsterdam before being flown to the Danish capital.
It is not clear at which airport the bag was detained.
Mr Boleat had hoped to be reunited with his boules on Friday night, but the investigation delayed their arrival until Saturday morning.
