Re: Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada
Whether or not chess is a sport depends upon how the word, sport, is defined. One could offer a loose definition of the term that would include chess, or a more strict definition of the term that would not. The question is one of semantics. And it is of course interesting how money often governs our semantics. Those who want money given to chess have loose semantics, those who do not want the money given will tend to tighten up their definition.
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Chess is not a sport; its ...
The logic of Spraggett's article ("what CATEGORY of sport would it fall under") reminds me of Agent Smith's speech to Neo in The Matrix:
So, along the same lines (fill in the blanks):I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species and I realized that you're not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed and the only way you can survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? A virus.
"I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your (activity/contest/game) and I realized that it's not actually a sport. Every sport on this planet ... (pick one or more)
- is a regulated form of physical activity organized as a contest between two or more participants for the purpose of determining a winner by fair and ethical means ... in the form of a game, match, race, or other form of event.
- is governed and sanctioned by a sport governing body (sport federation) that holds the responsibility for, notably, setting out the rules of play, either at the national level or at the world level, for awarding the organization of its championship(s), and designating the winner(s) of its championship(s). For the purpose of determining eligibility to its funding programs, Sport Canada has established that a sport should meet the following set of characteristics.
- involves physical interaction between participants and/or between participants and the environment: air, water, ice, snow, ground, special surface or apparatus, with or without the use of a special conveyance (e.g., bicycle, canoe, horse, luge, parachute, sailboat, skate, ski, wheelchair).
- requires specialized neuromuscular skills - such as speed, strength, stamina, flexibility, balance, precision and coordination - that involve large muscle groups or those which the individual has the ability to utilize, and which can be taught, learned and improved.
- relies on recognized general principles of Long Term Participant/Athlete Development that are adapted to the specific sport and are designed to provide a technically and ethically safe and sound sport experience at all levels of the continuum from initiation to playing, to training and competing up to and including performing at the highest levels of the sport, under the guidance of qualified coaches.
- involves formal rules and procedures to ensure a safe and fair outcome for all participants.
- requires fair, ethical and effective tactics and strategies.
- requires a competitive format and structure, sanctioned by the recognized governing body for the sport, either at the national or world level, and open to all participants who meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the rules of the sport.
- requires the on site presence of officials sanctioned by the sport governing body to objectively, fairly and consistently apply the rules.
But chess does not. It (fill in specific description of chess here).
There is another activity on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is? (specify appropriate comparison or category)Leave a comment:
- is a regulated form of physical activity organized as a contest between two or more participants for the purpose of determining a winner by fair and ethical means ... in the form of a game, match, race, or other form of event.
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Chess recognized as a sport by Sport Canada
Kevin Spraggett wrote a cheeky article suggesting that chess had finally been recognized as a sport by Sport Canada.
But it seems that it isn't actually. Rather, it's specifically excluded, among other such "games of skill":
Limitations for funding purposes:
Certain categories of sports or competitive activities fall outside Sport Canada parameters for funding purposes and are therefore excluded:
Sports in which athletes directly use and control motorized propulsion as a component of competition. (e.g., racing of automobiles, motorcycles, power boats, aircraft, snow machines, etc.).
Games of skill such as billiards, darts, board games (chess, bridge, scrabble), and electronic games.
The professional or commercial component of sports, owned and/or operated outside the jurisdiction of the sport’s recognized National or International Sport Federation by private enterprises, promoters, major professional leagues, franchises or other professional associations.
Related forms, variations or adaptations of existing sports, disciplines and/or events will generally be considered as disciplines within the original sport and not be considered as a distinct sport for eligibility purposes, regardless of the fact that such related forms, variations or adaptations may be organized independently from or outside existing NSOs.
Competitions (multi-event or multi-sport) and competitive activities developed as a variation, adaptation, combination or dimension of other non-sport or sport activities will not be eligible (e.g., police, firefighter, military games, life-saving competitions, ski patrol competitions, etc.).
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