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Russian Ruling Is That Poker Is A Sport
Poker News.com article indicates a significant
breakthrough for poker players
The respected poker portal Poker News.com published a truly encouraging
story for poker players this week with the news that the Russian
Federation's 'Federal Agency of Physical Culture and Sports' has
cleared the way for a new Russian poker boom by characterising the
game as a sport.
Poker tournaments have received the status of official sport competitions
as a result of the ruling.
Poker News reports that Dmitry Lesnoy, president of the Sport Federation
of Russia, an organisation created to promote poker's interests
within Russia, testified on behalf of poker during the commission's
hearings on the topic.
Roughly translated, Lesnoy contended that poker is an 'intellectual
game' with widespread, mass-market interest. Lesnoy , an established
Russian gaming writer, also organised 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 subsequent 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 organisation's goals include
the propagation and popularisation of poker, the creation of ethical
norms and standards, organisation of poker tournaments by the sports
principles, creating official player ratings, organising poker schools
and growing young talents, and searching for sponsors.
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