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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| High Court rules bridge is not a sport | High Court rules bridge is not a sport |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Bridge players who wanted the popular card game recognised as a sport have lost their High Court battle. | |
| The English Bridge Union had challenged a decision by Sport England not to recognise it as a sport on the grounds it does not involve physical activity. | |
| But Mr Justice Dove ruled against the union, dismissing its bid for a judicial review. | |
| The EBU said it was "very disappointed" and reviewing its "options for a possible appeal." | |
| Bridge is played by four players in two partnerships. It uses a standard 52-card deck and involves betting on the number of tricks each side will win. | Bridge is played by four players in two partnerships. It uses a standard 52-card deck and involves betting on the number of tricks each side will win. |
| 'Erred in law' | 'Erred in law' |
| The EBU had wanted Sport England to reclassify the game, which would have made it eligible for government and lottery funding. | |
| It had previously claimed the ordinary and natural meaning of "sport" in the 1996 Royal Charter, which established Sport England, was sufficiently broad so as to not necessarily require physical activity. | It had previously claimed the ordinary and natural meaning of "sport" in the 1996 Royal Charter, which established Sport England, was sufficiently broad so as to not necessarily require physical activity. |
| But the judge said Sport England's current policy defined sport as involving "physical activity" and its move to reject reclassification was in line with legalisation. | But the judge said Sport England's current policy defined sport as involving "physical activity" and its move to reject reclassification was in line with legalisation. |
| He said the issue he had considered was whether Sport England officials had "erred in law" when refusing to classify bridge as a sport, not the "broad, somewhat philosophical question" as to whether or not bridge "is a sport". | He said the issue he had considered was whether Sport England officials had "erred in law" when refusing to classify bridge as a sport, not the "broad, somewhat philosophical question" as to whether or not bridge "is a sport". |
| The EBU's legal representative Alex Peebles said: "We are very disappointed and feel that we put forward a strong case." |