Originally Posted by anticipation
Certainly, however I'd initially like to state that you and I both know the only reason you started this thread and have continued to assert your position is to justify why you are right and others are wrong. You are using this thread as a means to a very defined end, and as such I find it laughable that you question my assertions while simultaneously taking the definitions of sports that you have found that support your argument as gospel. Whether or not my reasoning is anecdotal does not detract from my argument, and I'd be very interested to see what you come up with as a counter.
The crux of my argument is the fact that if you were to ask an athlete who participates in a physical sport as to whether or not they consider such games as bowling, snooker, darts, competitive gaming, bocce ball, etc. as sports the answer would almost always be a definitive no. I have been involved in AAA hockey for 12 years of my life and at every level my coaches, teammates, and organizational staff have all expressed disdain at the mention of these games as being "sports". In addition to my own experience with the subject, those of my close friends who participate in NCAA D-I, D-III, and NAIA athletics, all have shared similar sentiments and question why those who are not involved in these organizations deem these activities to be sports, when the governing bodies they fall under are not recognized by the NCAA or the NAIA, both widely respected developmental associations in the sporting world.
Sports, as defined by numerous organizational committees around the world are seen as a tool to not only encourage the development of social relationships, mental acuity, and sportsmanship, but as a means of promoting physical fitness and health. If you'd like a definition that doesn't come from my head, then I would gladly point to you the Council of Europe's Sport Charter, which states "Sport" means all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels". Sporting is a vehicle for spreading the ideals of physical fitness and maintenance of one's body, not just a leisurely pastime. It is evident that professional gaming does not, and will never, meet the criteria of what it means to be a sport because the participants are not athletes, it does not promote physical fitness or health, and do not engage in any sort of competitive activity that engages the entire body. Look to the initiatives supported by the NBA, NHL, MLB, NFL, and governments around the world such as Play 60, Let's Move!, and other such programs that encourage getting out of the house and limiting the playing of video games, and you will see that there is not a single credible institution that supports the notion of video gaming as a viable physical activity.
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