From the Great American Bridge Tour Headquarters in South Dakota – GS Jade Barrett
For the last month the World’s hardest game has been deluged with cheating scandals that rivals those of the Tour de France, the Olympics and voting in Third World Dictatorships. A shame for a game that has been instrumental in creating relationships between citizens of different nations, race and creed for generations. The intense scrutiny combined with the efforts of many bloggers to be the most outraged on the net are contributing to the negative impact lasting far more than it should.
When the conversation is about who will they catch next or queries to our staff that reference the high level cheating population of the sport instead of how to bid or play a hand, Bridge’s goodwill diminishes minute by minute.
“I am not good enough to know when I am being cheated, so I am thinking about cancelling my tournament plans” is a thought that troubles me far more than the latest revelation. The fact that so many voices are suggesting measures that are a toxic fiscal drain on any bridge organization frightens me as well.
We need to promote the game in the face of adversity, not through it.
We need the joy of the game to be larger than our disgust at those who have disgraced it.
We laud those who are pursuing the villainous, support those who protect the player’s individual rights and think kind thoughts for the thousands of volunteers worldwide who work in the game’s best interest – even when we do not share the same opinions about many of the issues that need to be resolved.