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EU court rules bridge should not be considered a sport

An EU court has ruled that the card game bridge is not considered a sport under European or UK la...
Newstalk
Newstalk

13.58 26 Oct 2017


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EU court rules bridge should n...

EU court rules bridge should not be considered a sport

Newstalk
Newstalk

13.58 26 Oct 2017


Share this article


An EU court has ruled that the card game bridge is not considered a sport under European or UK law.

The decision came following an appeal by the English Bridge Union, which has been involved in a legal dispute with British authorities over tax for duplicate bridge tournaments.

Duplicate bridge is described as a "form of bridge played competitively at national and international level, in which each partnership successively plays the same deal as their counterparts at other tables".

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The EBU charges VAT on entry fees for duplicate bridge tournament - but the union argues the fees should be exempt from VAT under EU law.

They suggest that duplicate bridge should be considered a sport as it involved a "significant mental element" and is "practised competitively".

According to the BBC, the legal action got underway after Sport England refused to recognise the card game - meaning the union cannot access lottery funding.

However, the European Court of Justice has now ruled against the EBU - overturning a recommendation from its Advocate General.

European law means sports are considered activities involving a "not negligible physical element".

The court insisted that its job was "not to determine the meaning of ‘sport’ in general" - but to consider it in relation to EU VAT directives.

In the judgement, the EU court explained: "[Legislation on] the common system of value added tax must be interpreted as meaning that an activity such as duplicate bridge, which is characterised by a physical element that appears to be negligible, is not covered by the concept of ‘sport’".

The EBU said the decision was a 'surprise' and 'disappointment'.

In a statement, the union added: "The Court did, however, leave open the opportunity for individual states to exempt bridge from VAT by recognising it as a ‘cultural service’.

"We are pleased by the court’s suggestion, and welcome the possibility that bridge activities may yet be exempted from VAT - however we have not yet considered the implications of the suggestion."

The union argues that VAT exemption would make competitions cheaper, and would help bring bridge to a wider audience.


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