English Bridge union bullish ahead of High Court decision on bridge becoming an official sport
Last Updated: 28/04/15 8:19pm
Ian Payn, vice-chairman of the English Bridge Union, is bullish over the chances of the game being recognised as a sport.
Sport England recently refused to acknowledge the credentials of bridge as a sport - dismissing it as 'no more than sitting at home reading a book'.
But Payn remains hopeful of a successful outcome after a judge granted the union permission to mount a full judicial review challenge to Sport England.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "I don't want to pre-judge. It was encouraging that Judge Mostyn ruled that our request was neither frivolous, time-wasting or vexatious so we'll go forward, do our best and see what the judge says.
"Can you read? Can you play bridge? It's not the same then is it? It was a point made by the barrister last week. In order to play bridge, even to play at rudimentary level, you have to learn how to play and practice etc so to compare it with reading is not valid.
"I agree it doesn't involve a lot of running around and jumping. Not everything does. The mind needs activity as well as the body otherwise like the body it will atrophy. I take my brain as being capable of physical activity.
"What we want is recognition and for our members to be included. I'm not saying there wouldn't be some money further down the line from another source. We have an appeal outstanding with HMRC about charging VAT on our entries. If we're adjudged to be a sport, we'll be able to spend more money bringing people into the game.
"We're not after anything from Sport England other than to be recognised. I don't really see what their problem is and what they're afraid of."
