DISQUALIFICATION OF CYCLIST

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22459, 21 July 1938, Page 20

DISQUALIFICATION OF CYCLIST

POSITION OF G. R. B. GILES CANTERBURY PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT A statement concerning the reported two-year disqualification of the Canterbury Olympic cyclist, G. R. B. Giles, was made to "The Press" yesterday by the president of the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association (Mr C. D. Doyle), who -said that when Giles appealed to the federation it was pointed out that the matter contained in his appeal concerning the bond was irrelevant to the charge against which he was appealing. Mr Doyle made it clear that he did not wish to become involved in the federation's dispute with the association. He was answering matters concerning the Canterbury Centre. "It appears to me that the federation has definitely reduced the term of disqualification," he said. "So far the case has not yet been referred to the centre to be received or dealt with." Commenting on the charge, Mr T. A. Grose, an amateur member of the federation, said that it amounted to violation of the amateur status and not a breach of the Olympic bond. This, he said, was pointed out to the chairman at the meeting of the federation, at which Giles was not charged with breaking his bond. Amateur members of the federation maintained that it was a recommendation to the association that the bond should be reduced. The federation had no power to reduce it. The chairman of the federation subsequently informed the chairman of the association, the president of the Canterbury Centre, and two members of the federation that it could only be a recommendation to the association to reduce the sentence. According to the minute-book of the Canterbury Centre, Giles was charged with failing to appear before the centre, and with competing at a cycle meeting outside the control of the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association without having obtained a clearance and while still being a registered member of the association. Giles, it was stated, competed at Otorohanga during last Easter. A rider might be liable to permanent disqualification for this offence, according to the rules of the association. At the same time as he broke the rule he broke the Olympic bond. The following resolution was passed at a meeting of the centre on May 11, 1938: "That G. R. B. Giles be disqualified for a term of two years dating from May 11, 1938." At that meeting the chairman had said that a considerable amount of money had been spent on Giles during the last two years and if the association were to retain the confidence of the Olympic Association it could not condone such violation of agreements. DATE OF EXPIRY OF UNDERTAKING GILES MISINFORMED BY ASSOCIATION STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN (PEE3S ASSOCIATION TELKQRAM.) "WELLINGTON, July 20. Interviewed this morning, Mr H. McCormick, chairman of the New Zealand Olympic and Empire Games Association, said that G. R. Giles was inadvertently misinformed, having been told that his undertaking to the Olympic Association expired in November, 1937, instead of the correct date, October 22, 1938, which terminated the two-year period from the end of the Games. However, he said, Giles knew perfectly well there had to be a twoyear break before he could turn professional. What he did not know was whether the period was recokoned from the time of leaving New Zealand or from the time of returning, but he must have known that the date of Ncvember, 1937, was wrong.