If you need to know some of the oldest games in human existence then billiard is a part of them. Most people think that it was created by Buddhist monks searching for ways to pass time.
Nevertheless, some people believe that billiards is simply an indoor type of golf that entails having to hit a ball with sticks or clubs into holes. And for some more, they think it can be likened to bowling as it uses balls and not bowls or pins as its targets.
However, the bone of contention in this article bothers on the question of “Is Billiard a Sport?”. There are people who are of the opinion that it is a sport wherein players get to play diverse games within it.
In Europe, Billiard is referred to as the Sport of Kings. Furthermore, the International Olympic Committee declared it in 2005 an official Olympic sport. In other news, Billiard was included in both the Asian and World Games.
What Is A Game And What Is Sport?
To fully understand and answer the question of “Is Billiard A Sport?”, you must first have a breakdown of what games and sport mean. For us to begin, you must the terms as two words that are different from each other.
Billiards is a sport with many different variations like eight- ball, nine- ball, three ball, one pocket and bank pool and Pocket Billiards has been declared a Sport by the Olympic Committee. So, Pocket Billiard is definitely a Cue Sports game!
When it comes to sport, it is seen as a physical activity that is normally undertaken with some set of fixed rules. It can be done for self-enjoyment, competition, and sometimes both reasons.
As for the game, it is referred to as a recreational activity in which one or more employers get involved, plus it is defied by a specific goal that players are to attain. It also has its set of fixed rules.
The reason why most people get confused sometimes is that the term game has lots of meanings. You must be aware that while we can play a game of sports, it is unheard of to sport a game.
For example, during the Olympics, we have the Olympic games but all the competitions are based on certain sports. Furthermore, we have cue sports which is practically a vast variety of games that are played using a cue stick to strike the billiard balls.
The players engage in moving the balls around a billiard table covered with a cloth and surrounded by some rubber cushions.
Can Billiards Be Termed A Sport?
The short answer to the question of “Is Billiard a Sport?” is Yes. Billiards is regarded as a sport where you get to play diverse games within it. Some of the games in it are eight ball, three balls, nine-ball, bank pool, and of course, one pocket.
For pocket Billiards, the Olympic Committee declared it a sport. And, in 2005, the World Games that occurred in Duisburg, Germany and the Asian Games that were held in 2006 presented billiards categories like snooker, carom, and pool under the cue sports category.
In other words, billiard is to be announced as a sport. However, calling billiard a sport is sometimes dependent on the set of people you get to ask plus the definition of the term sport.
More so, there are lots of billiard games and some will not be categorized under the term sport. For some people, sport is a game that has an international governing body overseeing its rules and competitions.
While others believe that a sport is a game that needs physical exertion and this cannot be gotten in billiards. However, this is considered untrue because the Olympic Committee regards carom, snooker, and pool, as sports. They are three billiard games.
Although they have not been seen at any Olympic event yet, they have gone on to appear in the Asian Games plus the World Games. This means it will be a tough nut to crack in denying that billiards is not a real sport.
There are billiard games that one cannot answer if they are to be classified under sport. Though some of them have foreign bodies overseeing their rules, only a few of them organize major competitions. Their events are considered minor.
And with this, people refer to them as games as none of them have been legitimately recognized as a sport by the Olympic Committee.
In all, you can recognize the billiards games played on a competitive stage as sport irrespective of whether it entails some physical exertion or not. As long as most people are concerned, so long as you can enter normal competitions and win some prizes, then it is a sport.
While others see it like a game if it is majorly played in social settings like the bar billiards.
Reasons Why Billiards Is A Sports
Without much ado, the reason is because of:
1. The equipment, players, and table
In billiards, there is a special feature in which your games do not look the same. This means that no matter how many times you play, two games will never look alike. More so, one of the games follows international rules making the sport a unique one.
2.The technique, mental stamina, and strategy
The power to act amazingly under pressure is an authentic athletic skill. For those unaware, Billiard is known as a precision sport that comes with difficult techniques that demand hand-to-eye coordination.
3. Recognition
In 1998, the Olympic movement recognized the billiard as a member. More so, it has been featured in diverse international competitions of which the most notable one being the World Games.
The World Games is known as a multisport competition that takes place every four years. Furthermore, the WCBS, World Confederation of Billiards Sports is taking charge of a campaign. Its goal is to prove the sport’s merits to none other than the International Olympic Committee.
In March of 2018, WCBS formally presented its candidacy of billiards as an added sport in the 2024 Olympic Games in France. This was done in full cooperation with the prominent Fédération Française de Billard.
4.Qualifications, clubs, and national organization
Now, do you believe that billiard is a sport? Billiard is considered a sport with one hundred national federations globally and over two hundred competitions being organized yearly in roughly ninety countries.
Conclusion
If you have been searching and asking questions bothering on whether “Is Billiard a Sport?”, you can quit searching as the answer is within our article. Ensure to read through so that you no longer refer to Billiard as a mere game for fun.
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