Search icon

News

22nd Sep 2015

Bridge players dealt a blow but recognition as a sport could still be on the cards

Kevin Beirne

The English Bridge Union (EBU) has decided to take legal action against Sport England after they were denied recognition as a sport.

The High Court will now be forced to rule on the matter after Judge Mr Justice Mostyn allowed the appeal, saying: “You are doing more physical activity playing bridge, with all that dealing and playing, than in rifle shooting.”

A spokesman for the EBU said: “When ruling on what constituted a sport in the 2011 Charities Act, parliament specifically included ‘mind sports’, stating that sport comprised ‘activities which promote health involving physical or mental skill or exertion’.”

Official recognition would improve funding into developing the grow of the card game as well as giving British bridge players a better chance to compete internationally.

Needless to say, people on Twitter seemed to agree with Sport England’s decision…

https://twitter.com/TheEastAnglian/status/646292399015219200

https://twitter.com/Vintage_82/status/646293792551763968

Topics:

Cards,Law