CYCLING

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22460, 22 July 1938, Page 18

CYCLING

CASE OF G. R. B. GILES

STATEMENT BY VICE-CHAIRMAN OF FEDERATION

A denial of the statement given by the president of the Canterbury Centre of the New Zealand Cycling Association (Mr C. D. Doyle) and Mr T. A. Grose, an amateur member of the New Zealand Cycling Federation, that the case of G. R. B. Giles, the Canterbury Olympic cyclist, had not been dealt with by the association was made by the vice-chairman of the federation (Mr J. M. Coffey) to "The Press" yesterday. Mr Coffey said that the following letter had been sent to Giles by the secretary of the association:— ''You are hereby requested to appear before a meeting of the above centre to be held at the Pioneer Amateur Sports Club, corner Oxford terrace and Gloucester street, on Wednesday, May 4, 1938, at 7.45 p.m., to show reason why you should not be dealt with (a) under rule 88 of the Rules of the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association for competing at a cycle meeting outside the control of the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association while still being a registered member of the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association, and (b) for breaking your agreement with the Olympic and British Empire Games Association in respect to the 1936 Olympic bond." Mr Coffey added that a further letter was sent to Giles informing him that the business for the meeting on May 4 was not proceeded with and requesting him to attend a meeting on May 11. There was no .doubt, he said, that Giles had been dealt with at this meeting. "ISSUES CONFUSED" COMMENT ON STATEMENT OF MR J. M. COFFEY GILES SAID TO HAVE BEEN AWARE OF POSITION I (press association telegram.) j WELLINGTON, July 21. A contradiction of the statement issued in Christchurch by the vicechairman of the New Zealand Cycling Federation (Mr J. M. Coffey), saying no disqualification of a cyclist could be valid until it was endorsed by the federation, was made by the secretary of the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association (Mr C. V. Aldridge) at Wellington to-night. The controversy arose from the New Zealand Cycling Association's action in disqualifying the Olympic cyclist, G R B. Giles, for two years for an alleged breach of his bond with the Olympic Association by competing as a professional at Otorohanga on April 16 1938. The bond provided that he would not turn professional for two years after his return to New Zealand from the Olympic Games in Berlin in The issue, said Mr Aldridge, had apparently been confused with the Canterbury Cycling Centre's decision to disqualify him for two years for failing to obtain a clearance before turning professional. That had been referred to the Cycling Federation, which had allowed Giles's appeal against the Canterbury Centre's decision. The breaking of his bond at its meeting on June 9 with the Olympic Association was a different matter altogether, and the federation had not dealt with it. . Mr Coffey's statement implied that the appeal was against the breaking of the bond, added Mr Aldridge. He should have known better than to confuse the issues. Prior Knowledge Alleged Mr C. J. Holsey, who was until recently chairman of the New Zealand Federation, had said that the trouble arose because Giles was misinformed by an official of the Olympic Association. This was incorrect. Though it was true that a mistake was made in the date given by the federation, it was* rectified, and Giles was given the correct date of the expiration of his bond some time before he competed as a professional at Otorohanga. "The New Zealand Cycling Federation is a constitutive body, composed of three professional and three amateur members, with an independent chairman." said Mr Aldridge. "By its constitution, it is in duty bound to uphold the rights of both parties, but to allow Giles to ride at the exmration of his bond on October 22. 1938. would be a breach of faith, not only with the New Zealand Amateur Ocline Association, but also with the New Zealand OlymDic and British Emnire Games Association, to which the New Zealand Association is affiliated. As Mr Coffey is a professional delegate on the New Zealand Federation, his manner of viewing Giles's disqualification can readily be understood, as it was federation officials with whom Giles communuicated in the first place. Evidently they have misinformed him and are now refusing to admit the fact. The rules and constitution of the association are the basis of its affiliation to the Union Cycliste Internationale, the world controlling bodv. and a rider who violates them must be nreoared \n face Vhe cor\sec\\ieT\ces.. Mr Coffey should first see that iustice is done to the body which provides him with his federation." No Request for Release The chairman of the association (Mr R. Knipe) said that, if Giles had asked his association and the New Zealand Olymnic and British Empire Gamps Association to release him from his bond in time to compete at Otorohanga, it would have been a different matter. He had made no such request, however, and though he could have withdrawn when notified of the date of exniry of his hond, b<* had ridden in the race with a full knowledge of what he was doing. Mr Coffey's statement that no disaualificaHon of a cyclist could be mads until endorsed by the N"w Zealand Federation was untrue. ThP association could disqualify a cyclist indpfinitely. An anneal against the decision of the association could be made to the federation, howpvpr. "In mv opinion. Mr Coffev has confused the issues." added Mr Knine. "Our bar) has nothing to do with Giles's disqualification from the Christchurch Centre."