Beach football: sport or pastime?

Nigeria and Senegal will fly the flag for Africa on Rio de Janeiro's legendary Copacabana sands.

Many people believe beach football - a five-man game divided into three 12-minute periods on a pitch slightly longer than a basketball court and about twice as wide - falls short of being a sport.

Yet, over the past decade, it has evolved from a recreational activity to a global industry recognised by Fifa.

But do you care? Should a group of people in swimming trunks having a kick-about on the sand be considered a genuine sport?

Is beach football really worthy of having its own World Cup?

Most dictionaries defines 'sport' as 'an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.

So does beach football fit into this definition? Use the form on the right to tell us what you think.

And if it was up to you, are there any other sports that you consider to be absolute nonsense and would like to see scrapped?

Maybe you would like to see cricket, chess, body-building and darts among others taken off the sports agenda.

Beach football is a major sport. It is very intensive, fast and demands real endurance from the player. Also, skill, talent and a sharp mind. Snooker and darts are not a sport for me. You don't get tired, you don't compete with the strenght and stamina of your body. Those are just nice games, but not sport.
Euler Costa, Brazil

Variety is the spice of life. Beach football deserves its own World Cup.
Opeyemi Ajala, Nigeria

I personally feel that beach football is definitely a sport, thanks to Mr Eric Cantona. He turned it from a pastime into a sport, added flare, finnesse and plenty of quality. Have you ever watched a game of beach football?
Kevin, Scotland

Beach football is more difficult than normal football. It requires more energy because of the sandy surface. I think it deserves to have it own World Cup.
Olumide Olawale,Nigeria

Of course, beach football is a sport. The players get a chance to exercise both their body and mind. It is more of a sport than chess or scrabble, both of which have their own world championships.
Uche E Mejeha, USA

I think darts and chess are more of competetive hobbies than sports. I would compare them to throwing marbles or exchanging baseball cards. Would you call that sport as well? Beach football is definetly a sport and should be recognised as such. It is more entertaining that conventional football and has more spectacular tricks. It is fun to play and watch!
Salman, UK

By the definition its a sport 'an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature'. The same cannot be said for snooker - it is not an athletic activity.
Femi Oshagbemi, Northern Ireland

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