OLYMPIC GAMES “Early Greeks Stopped War For Games”

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28128, 17 November 1956, Page 12

OLYMPIC GAMES “Early Greeks Stopped War For Games”

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

(Rec. 9.30 p.m. MELBOURNE. November 16. Mr Avery Brundage, president of the International Olympic Federation, today issued an appeal not to allow international tension to spoil the Melbourne Games. Referring to the withdrawal of Iraq, the Lebanon, Egypt, the Netherlands. Switzerland and Spain from the games, he said: “The early Greeks used to stop wars so that they could go on with the games. Now we stop the games to go on with wars. We do not seem to have learned much in the last 2000 years.” Mr Brundage, when he arrived in Sydney by air on his way to the games, said; “I do not think we will have any international incidents among competitors. If all people were like sportsmen there would be no wars. The only trouble at these games, if any did occur, would be in the grandstand.” Rain on Track Today, athletes from many countries were out training, in spite of torrential overnight rain and a heavy thun-

derstorm this morning, which soaked training grounds.

The weather bureau reported that 120 points of rain fell overnight, but the arena manager at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Mr E. L. Gillespie, was pleased with the way the water had drained from the ground. He said the cinder track needed binding and would be all the better for the soaking. The cinders track should be the fastest ever used for Olympic events, the architect and engineer who is supervising its construction, Mr C. G. Jones, said today. Mr Jones said that the track should prove much faster than the track used for the 1948 games in London. He built that track also. “Weather will not affect the track to any extent when it is completed. It can be inches under water and will not be harmed.” he said.