No sweat, no sport: EU says bridge card game is not a sport
BRUSSELS — The European Union’s top court ruled Thursday on a topic that vexes sports fans and card players alike: Is a game like bridge a sport?
The answer: When it comes to taxes, no sweat, no sport.
The European Court of Justice announced in its ruling that “bridge, which is characterized by a physical element that appears to be negligible, is not covered by the concept of ‘sport.’”
The English Bridge Union, which has some 55,000 members, wanted a tax exemption linked to sports so that entrance fees to tournaments can become more affordable. British courts and officials have already refused, claiming a sport must have a significant element of physical activity.