CYCLING.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20907, 14 July 1933, Page 15

CYCLING.

CANCELLATION TO BE RECOMMENDED.

AFFILIATION OF PAPANUI CLUB.

The Canterbury Amateur Cycling Centre decided last evening to recommend to the Cycling Council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic and Cycling Association that the affiliation of the Papanui Amateur Cycling Club be cancelled. Recent friction between the centre and the Papanui club came to a head last Saturday at a meeting organised by the Rangiora Returned Soldiers' Club, when the papanui men, after a number had been excluded from the meeting because of their not being registered, held a race of their own over the course laid out by the Rangiora club. There were present at the meeting—Messrs G. R. Giles (president), J. Bhck, F. Knipe, C. N. Hamilton, h. H- Hill, G. W. Watson, T. Reynolds, S. F. McNally, A. Hughes, G. Hancox, and C. Sanderson (hon. secretary). It was decided to forward the following grounds for the request;*'(1) The antagonistic attitude which the officials of the Papanui Amateur Cycling Club, since reaffiliation was granted to the club at its request, have adopted towards the Canterbury Amateur Cycling Centre in its control of amateur cycling. • "(2) The insulting behaviour of a number of the officials of the Papanui club to centre members at cycling meetings conducted by the centre would not be tolerated by any sporting body, or any organisation lor that m "(3) r 'The action of the Papanui club in encouraging its riders not to register with the centre and allowing such riders to ride in club races is a serious breach of the centre's rules, and also inciting members of their club to flout the controlling body in every way is absolutely adverse to the good conduct of the sport of amateur cycling. "(4) The attitude of these officials culminated on Saturday at Rangiora. when, after Papanui riders had entered for a race to be conducted by the Rangiora Returned Soldiers' Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club, the Papanui club withdrew all their riders from the race because they were not permitted to race unregistered men, and ran a race over the course arranged by the Rangiora club, and so interfered seriously with the arrangements made by that club. This compelled the Rangiora club to find another course outside the town. This can only be regarded as a deliberate act of discourtesy to another affiliated club. "(5) The centre considers that the whole action of the Papanui club is contrary to the amateur spirit and to the furtherance of amateur ideals. The Papanui club seems unable to work in harmony with the centre to provide a clean, healthy sport for those who wish to indulge in amateur cycling, and the centre requests the council, in the interest of clean sport to cancel the affiliation of the Papanui Amateur Cycling Club"

Papanui Riders' Action. Mr Giles said that the Papanui club had been granted reaffiliation last year. Apparently it had wanted it only for the purpose of taking part in the Christmas meetings and the championships. Mr Blick, reporting as centre representative at the Rangiora meeting, said that at the outset the officials had been asked whether they were going to allow unregistered riders to compete. The riders were told that unless they were registered they could not compete. The worst feature was that the Papanui riders, who were withdrawn by the club, rode over the track, compelling the club and centre officials to mark out a new course. The chairman: A sportsmanlike thing to do—especially when it spoils the meeting of a young club we are trying to help. A delegate: The Papanui riders also took control of the track at HalswelL It seems to be a habit with them. The chairman said that it was not the sort of thing one would expect to And in amateur sport The whole of the Papanui club was perhaps not to blame, but the attitude of some of its members was having a bad effect on many young ridets. A member: Can we vouch for thQ registration of all our riders? The chairman: Yes, with the possible exception of one. The secretary stated that the rider named had paid his registration fees. All riders competing in the centres meetings were registered. Mr Watson, a Rangiora delegate, said that most of the riders in Rangiora were centred round two bicycle shops. The Papanui officials had approached one of these groups, and some of the riders were "pulling in' with the Papanui club.

Rumour* Denied. Mr Reynolds, the other Ran«iora delegate, said that the officials of the club had promised to go into the question and guide their young riders as to what attitude they should take in the conflict between the centre and the Papanui club. "We had the nucleus of a really good club until some of the Papanui people came to us and told us what we believe to be a lot of balderdash about the working of the centre," he declared. A large section of riders vera standing by the club and the centre, and for their guidance he desired certain information. In reply to questions, Mr Giles assured Mr Reynolds that it the centre's request was acceded to members of the hew organisation formed by the Papanui club would not be able to take part in official races or chamj pionships. He said that the loss of riders would not be so severe as to have an adverse effect on the sport. Forty were taking part in to-morrow's race, while there were many others who would be taking pert in races later in the season. In addition there was the large number of track cyclists who did not take part in road races. Mr Giles also assured the Rangiota delegates that rumours that the centre was not properly constituted and that it had failed to pay prize monev at Fome meetings were quite without foundation

Warning to Riders.

It was decided to warn riders that if the affiliation was cancelled, any rider taking part in races under the control of the Papanui Amateur Cycling Club would automatically be suspended and would not be able to ride in races under the control of the Canterbury Amateur Cycling Centra or any club affiliated to it. Also they would not be able to ride in any races run under the control of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic and Cycling Association.