EMPIRE GAMES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25638, 29 October 1948, Page 8

EMPIRE GAMES

INCLUSION OF FENCING AND WEIGHT-LIFTING

PROTESTS BY OTHER SPORTS BODIES

The exclusion of spoils such as lawn tennis, golf, and yachting from the Empire Games programme in favour of fencing was criticised by representatives of sports bodies in Christchurch yesterday. The consensus was that there was likely to be less public interest in fencing and weight-lifting. “The New Zealand Olympic and Empire Games Association will meet this year and if it has any sense it will make a thorough overhaul of the Olympic and Empire Games system, said Mr J. K. Moloney, a vice-president of the association. “Major sports bodies should have some say about what should be included in the programme. “Golfers and also the very many followers of the sport must be very disappointed to read of Mr Bayfefld’s announcement that the committee is recommending to the British Empire Games Federation that fencing and weight-lifting be the two extra sports.” said the president of the Canterbury Provincial Golf Association (Mr O. A. Y. Johnston). “No one,will question the fact that the followers of golf far outnumber those of fencing and weight-lifting. They are included in the Olympic Games, in which all nations in the World compete, but that is no reason why they should be automatically .included in the Empire Games, or be’, rfecomfhended. for inclusion. Fencing has. a Continental background, and golf is essentially British, or rather in origin. “A year ago there were 16,000 registered male golfers and 10,000 registered female golfers in New Zealand and many who were uiyegistered,” Mr Johnston said. “How many weightlifters are there in New Zealand? In view of the relatively small number who take part in fencing and weightlifting it is obvious which sport would,, draw the bigger gate—a very essential factor to guarantors, “Auckland can offer excellent golfing facilities, both from the players’ and spectators’ points of view,” MrJohnston concluded, j £ .. ... -■ His association cdnsiuerdd’that tennis' should have received priority, said the chairman of the management committee of the -Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association (Mr J. Ki Burtt). Lawn tennis commanded a much wider, following than either fencing or weightlifting.

Mr E. E. Combes, president of the Canterbury Sailing and Power-Boat Association, said that yachting should haye a bigger claim to inclusion than either of the two “extra” sports. There were many thousands of yachtsmen in New Zealand and they had numerous followers.