Dear KZNBU bridge players
I am reading emails and hearing comments from people asking why we have an SABF and why do we need to pay R250 a year to the SABF to be affiliated.
I have therefore decided to set down my views in writing as your KZNBU representative on the SABF.
The playing of bridge is recognised by SASCOC (The South African Sports Federation) as a sport that qualifies for the awarding of national colours to players representing our country. The SABF is recognised by SASCOC as the national body representing bridge. So, the SABF is the governing body representing competitive bridge in South Africa.
In saying this I accept that some people see bridge as only a social event and see no need for Master Points and participating against Grand Masters in national tournaments, never mind representing South Africa at international tournaments.
There are many aspects to the role of the SABF, which include:
- Regulating the rules under which bridge is played
- Taking disciplinary action against players who cheat and thereby maintaining fair play in our competitions
- Producing an annual calendar to prevent tournament clashes
- Holding the national license for BBO and distributing the 70% of all BBO tournament fees that are returned to the SABF by BBO, back to the unions
- Licensing tournament directors for BBO tournaments
- Organising the national bridge events, such as Congress
- Awarding Master Points and recognising the grading of players from beginner to Grand Master
- Representing the interests of South African bridge through membership of the International Bridge Federation and the African Bridge Federation
- SABF continually offers workshops and other courses to all the Unions for the benefit of all members
Recognising the need to introduce new players to bridge, the SABF initiated a programme of online courses for beginners, led by Arie Ridderhof and Carol Stanton. This also involved the purchase of hundreds of copies of the teaching books by Paul Marston, for use in these courses. These courses continue to be offered.
Questions have been raised about the need for affiliation fees when the SABF has R3 million is reserves. The SABF has not increased fees since 2019 and the recent R50 a year increase represents an increase that is way below inflation. The view was taken by the SABF that we should not see competitive bridge as a dying sport, but one that will continue into the foreseeable future. So, to deplete the reserves does not make sense, as then a large annual affiliation fee would be required to continue the work of the SABF into the future.
The SABF has also taken steps to tighten the conditions under which players qualify to be subsidised to represent our country in international tournaments. It is not true that a large part of SABF affiliation fees is still used to pay for these players to travel.
Most of the work of the SABF is carried out by volunteers, but there is a need for administrative support that has to be paid for.
I believe that for a cost of just over R20 a month, we get many hours of enjoyment from bridge and are able to grow our skills by playing with and against those who are better than we are. I accept that COVID changed the face of the game as we moved to online bridge, but that is not how it was intended to be played.
I also accept that we need to grow the game and introduce new people to bridge – the initiative of the SABF needs to be given serious consideration by all of us.
Neil Macleod
KZNBU committee member
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