Poker classified as a sport?

Hi all...one last thought for the night, things that make you go....Hmmmmmmm?

Poker a sport in Russia
Check this out:

Poker Re-categorized as 'Sport' in Russia

Russian poker players and fans are overjoyed with the news that poker is being accepted as a sport in that important nation. A recent decision by Russian Federation's 'Federal Agency of Physical Culture and Sports' has cleared the way for a new Russian poker boom. It's a long-awaited event for all gambling lovers: Poker tournaments have received the status of official sport competitions.

Dmitry Lesnoy, president of the Sport Federation of Russia, an organization created to promote poker's interests within Russia, testified on behalf of poker during the commission's hearings on the topic. Roughly translated, Lesnoy appealed that poker is an 'intellectual game' with widespread, mass-market interest. Lesnoy , an established Russian gaming writer, also organized a November 2006 conference of pro-gaming forces with representatives present from over 50 different Russian regions. This meeting of the 'Federation of Sports Poker' paved the way for the lobbying efforts supporting the game.

Lesnoy focused on the unique characteristics that define poker as a game of far more than luck: skills and tenacity, analytical constitution, and plenty of training. "It is so pleasant," commented Lesnoy , "that with the general background of persecution from the government towards gambling, the state still revealed wisdom and agreed with a factor, that poker can not belong to the category of gambling. It is a sport!"

Though not yet detailed in later reports, the Russian agency's decision is expected to exempt poker from the provisions of the four 'gambling zones' being created across Russia. Lesnoy hopes that his own federation will fill a strong supporting role in the growth of Russian poker. The organization's goals include the propagation and popularization of poker, the creation of ethical norms and standards, organization of poker tournaments by the sports principles, creating official player ratings, organizing poker schools and growing young talents, and searching for sponsors.

April 05, 2007
Vitalij Shumakov

Source: Pokernews

(Just a little something to invite some creative thoughts and responses)

Cheers

Does that make me an athlete?

It'll be the only time you see a 400lb man that chain smokes with a gold medal.

I think the classification of poker as a sport is silly, but it can't do anything but help legitimize it in the eyes of the general public. Way to go, Russia!

I think the classification in Russia is basically a way to get funding/state sponsorship for competition, and has nothing to do with whether or not they really consider it a "sport."

I am sure that chess, a Russian obsession, is also classified as such. International chess organizations have in the past actually attempted to petition the Olympics for inclusion! They were pretty much laughed at...

Clearly it is ridiculous to to mix "athletics" with "games". The whole argument is simply a matter of semantics, an argument about the meaning of the word "sport"-- athletes want exclusive use of it, while players of games like chess, poker, backgammon, etc. want access to the word because of the competitive nature of their disciplines.

Athletes want "sport" to mean athletic contests, skill game players want "sport" to mean any skilled contest. But clearly there is a distinction to be made here.

I have to agree with you there...besides - it certainly would be cost prohibitive to furnish the Olympic Committee with the outrageous number of drug-testing kits that would be required!

Actually, since horse racing is classified as a "sport". this might be a way around current US laws. So, write yer congressmen, alert Al D'amato................

I think the great debate would end at "Mental Sport" vs "Physical Sport" even though my belief is that 8-12 hours of poker either online or live is both mentally and physically draining. Damn...my brain is hurting just thinking about it! LOL

Cheers

has any of you ever seen mansion poker dome challenge? there heart rates go through the roof! anything that gets your heart going like that has got to be classified as a sport! well thats my opinion anyway! and theres technically just as much contact as there is in football or any other sport! lol yeah i think it should be a sport!

Excellent point...see those heart monitors going nuts?!!!! But also.....they do give massages in live tournies...Mmmmmmm
Ok...let's focus on the brain drain not....ummm....ok...massage...MMMmmmm

Ummmmmm they said hot dog eating contests is a sport .........hmmmmmmmmm. re: 400# man with a gold medal.

Golf, and fishing ...... 'nuff said