Define Sport

[English assassin]

I don't see why having a judge rules something out of being a sport. team games have referres/umpires whose judgement on the rules may change the result of the match, yet any definition that rules football or cricket out of being a sport is obviously too narrow. Once you allow a referee how can you exclude a judge?

I reckon its a sport if its competitive, physical (no chess or card games), raises your heart rate (sorry, no darts or snooker) and isn't for a useful purpose (no digging the garden). Motor racing counts because anyone who thinks its not hard work slinging a car or bike round a track is wrong. Mick Doohan used to have a resting heart rate way down in the low 50s IIRC.

Come to think of it, scratch competitive, because mountaineering is certainly a sport.

[edyzmedieval]

Basketball rulzz, as long as there aren't any fouls and some rules are out....

[GoreBag]

I don't see why having a judge rules something out of being a sport. team games have referres/umpires whose judgement on the rules may change the result of the match, yet any definition that rules football or cricket out of being a sport is obviously too narrow. Once you allow a referee how can you exclude a judge?

Because it takes the goal of winning out of the athlete's hands. A referee or umpire is, in most cases, a necessity to keep everyone within the rules, judge whether or not the puck crossed the goal line, and keep track of other things considered objective. A judge, like from gymnastic competitions or figure skating, is not the same kind of figure.