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Report from the Spring NABC Daily Bulletin

Bridge will be a demonstration sport at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City next year.

The news comes directly from Jose Damiani, president of the World Bridge Federation. This is a major step forward in the ongoing effort to have bridge become a fullfledged Olympic sport in time for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. The news was unexpected because it had been reported that facilities for play weren't available in Salt Lake City.

Damiani got the word yesterday from Marc Hodler of Switzerland, vice president of the International Olympic Committee and longtime president of the Swiss Bridge Federation. "Bridge has been given the opportunity to demonstrate the competition at the Salt Lake City Olympics before the public and before IOC officials," was the wording in Damiani's message. "If the demonstration goes well, the sport will be formally introduced at the Olympic Games four years later."

Today's news caught the bridge world by surprise. The WBF began a massive effort in 1998 to bring bridge to the Olympics. At that time it appeared that all the facilities for the athletes and for play were fully booked. "We were always facing the logistics problem of available facilities to demonstrate the game," Damiani said. "Mr. Hodler informed me today that the IOC was able to allocate space for a bridge attraction at the Grand Americana Hotel in Salt Lake City." The event will take place about two days before the official opening of the Winter Olympics (they are scheduled to open on Feb. 8, 2002). "We will bring teams to three categories - open, women and junior," said Damiani.

"The WBF will have to decide within the next few months on the criteria for team selection and how many teams will participate. The WBF faces a rather difficult task in selecting the teams. On the one hand we would like the best players to participate. On the other hand, however, we must show the IOC the true global reach of our game. The WBF will be sure to devote its best efforts to determining how best to combine these two objectives to produce the most successful demonstration. "After a successful demonstration in Salt Lake City, the logistics factor for the 2006 Games could not be an issue as we have an organizing committee. However, we still have to go through one final formality. The IOC must amend its regulation that allows only sports con tested on ice or snow to participate in the Winter Olympics. Although hopefully a majority of IOC members will support this change, we must nevertheless continue to do our work perfectly to be sure of passing each test so we can obtain full recognition."

Damiani's idea that it is important to show that bridge is a recognized sport throughout the world is a good point. And there's no question that it would be a plus to field some of our best players. But it seems that this can be done. There are many outstanding teams in Europe and North America. South America and Asia also have some fine teams.

The United States is moving forward with Olympic plans. Since the organization that deals with the IOC must represent ALL players in a country, the United States Bridge Federation has been formed which will consist of all members of the two bridge organizations operating in the United States - the ACBL and the American Bridge Association. The ACBL already has appointed seven members to the Board of Directors of the new organization, and the ABA will designate its two appointees soon.

Some major IOC officials already are familiar with how tournament bridge is played. Three special IOC Grand Prix events have been staged in Lausanne, Switzerland. The field in last year's event is an indication of how widespread the interest in bridge is. Indonesia from the Far East was the champion, defeating Italy. Also in the field were the United States, Poland, China and France. Many of the world's best players competed. Some of the world's best women players also competed in a special match between Europe and the United States.

Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the IOC, wished the players well. Hodler and IOC Sports Director Gilbert Felli also were in attendance.

Click here for the interview with Mr Damiani ...

Click here for the WBF Press Release...