BRUSSELS – The European Union’s top court now has a ruling on something that vexes sports fans and card players alike: is a game like bridge a sport? It says it’s not.
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The European Court of Justice announced in Thursday’s ruling that “bridge, which is characterized by a physical element that appears to be negligible, is not covered by the concept of ‘sport,'” when it comes to paying taxes.
The English Bridge Union wanted a tax exemption linked to sports for entrance fees to tournaments, which the British authorities refused, claiming a sport must have a significant element of physical activity.
Limiting itself to value-added tax exemptions, the court said in a statement that sports should be “characterized by a not negligible physical element.”
