An article in the “Critic’s Corner” (Sports, Aug. 4) said that there is a movement to declare the game of poker as a legitimate sport. Give me a break. Sport is a competitive encounter between athletes who have strength, agility and stamina. Typically low body fat and muscle tone are prerequisites.
To achieve excellence in sport requires commitment and dedication that focus on physical attributes. Only when this is accomplished can a true athlete mentally prepare to beat an opponent.
Golf, for example, should not be deemed a sport. It is a recreational activity. True, there is skill involved and, to excel, a degree of strength and dexterity. There are, however, many people on the pro circuit who are not physically equipped to qualify as athletes. If the spirit of the Olympics is to be honored, let it be honored by those who have sacrificed to achieve physical dominance to overpower a combatant. Table games and recreation do not apply.
