English Chess Forum

"That is one of the reasons why I largely gave up bridge directing and went back to chess."

I guess another disadvantage is that each argument will involve a minimum of four people, not two!

More than that though. A lot of the situations - like unauthorised information - are considerably more subjective than anything you're ever likely to encounter directing in chess.

Time to rename the thread?

Brian Towers wrote:Time to rename the thread?

I've renamed it in the light of subsequent developments.

Radio 4 News at 10:00 had a story that the European Court of Justice has ruled that Bridge is *not* a sport since a sport must have a non-negligible physical element.

Angus French wrote:Radio 4 News at 10:00 had a story that the European Court of Justice has ruled that Bridge is *not* a sport since a sport must have a non-negligible physical element.

Here's a link to the full judgement.

http://curia.europa.eu/juris/document/d ... id=1590575

in which

Article 132(1)(m) of Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 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’ within the meaning of that provision.

If the Bridge world wants to avoid VAT on entry fees, then rather than having an all powerful central body organising official tournaments, it needs to decentralise as the chess world always has been, where chess events are run locally and financially independent of the ECF. This having the advantage that VAT doesn't have to be levied on entry fees unless exceptionally, like the UK Chess Challenge, the total exceeds the exempt amount.

Extract from Daily Telegraph summary, which I suspect wrongly omits the crucial word "not" before "qualify" in the first sentence:

"EU judges did offer a glimmer of hope to British bridge players. They insisted the decision did not mean that duplicate bridge could qualify for a VAT exemption as a 'cultural service'.

"The VAT Directive allows a tax break on services linked to activities that are part of a country’s cultural heritage. Whether duplicate bridge qualifies would be a decision for the British courts."

Presumably that's equally true of chess although I wouldn't hold my breath for the chances of success.

ECJ (Roger Lancaster) wrote: "The VAT Directive allows a tax break on services linked to activities that are part of a country’s cultural heritage. Whether duplicate bridge qualifies would be a decision for the British courts."

Presumably that's equally true of chess although I wouldn't hold my breath for the chances of success.

In some way or other, the Court has to wave its hands at the established position that chess in particular, qualifies for sports status and presumably VAT exemption in several members of the EU. "Ever closer union" is now you see it, now you don't.

Kevin Thurlow wrote:"That is one of the reasons why I largely gave up bridge directing and went back to chess."

I guess another disadvantage is that each argument will involve a minimum of four people, not two!

Just recently taken up otb chess again after a four year break. At the end of my second league match, I had the rare privilege of witnessing an enormous fracas involving eight players ranting incoherently at each other about the result of the final game. Which was amusing, as the players were agreed as to what the result was, it was just everyone else. Even more amusing was that it didn't have the remotest bearing on the result of the match. Foolishly thinking I might help, I intervened with, "Hi, I'm an arbiter, perhaps I can help?" A couple of minutes later, I was met with, "What do arbiters know, anyway?"

Not much has changed during your break, then!

On a further note I see that Pole Dancing has been accepted as a sport this week following a ruling by the Global Association of International Sports Federations.

"At a national level, the British Federation for Pole Dancing is now eligible to apply for national sports recognition through the Department for Digital, Culture and Sport. It is also permitted to apply for membership of UK Sport and the British Olympic Committee, which could allocate it national and UK Lottery funding in the future." states the Daily Telegraph.

I have not given any links as some of the accompanying pictures are rather, shall we say, risque. Perhaps after Chessboxing we could have ChessPoleDancing?

I presume that that is actually pole based gymnastics - that's somewhat different to standard pole dancing (definitely in terms of intent!) and a perfectly serious way to exercise.

Makes sense to me that ECJ now agree. As for the future we will not be able to go to the ECJ. Hoping to get Mike to play a simul soon.
As for VAT break on football there are a number of home matches that you have to book to qualify.

I'm always up for a game of extreme chess (played on a mountain).

How long are our European loans tied up for?

Roger >In some way or other, the Court has to wave its hands at the established position that chess in particular, qualifies for sports status and presumably VAT exemption in several members of the EU.<

You have made an assumption. It is a UK matter that entry fees for participatory sports are exempted from VAT. I don't know whether that practice is followed anywhere else/