Athletics 5000 METRES RACE AT GAMES

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28267, 3 May 1957, Page 7

Athletics 5000 METRES RACE AT GAMES

Belated Complaint By Kuts

(N.Z Press Association Copyright) (Rec. 8 p.m.) MOSCOW, May 2 The Soviet athlete Vladimir Kuts has belatedly accused three British runners—Gordon Pirie. Chris Chataway and Derek Ibbotson—of a lack of sportsmanship during the 5000 metres race at the Melbourne Olympic Games last year. Writing in the Communist party newspaper '’Pravda’’ for the Mav Day celebrations, Kuts said “I long ago noticed that the English are reasonable and very businesslike people. But what kind of sportsmanlike and businesslike methods were those of the English trio Pirie, Chataway and Ibbotson during the race?

“They literally divided this distance into three parts, sacrificing eacn other to break me and not to give a Russian a chance of winning a gold medal.’’

Kuts, who won me race, said that when he stood on the winner’s pedestal and the Soviet national anthem was played, we recognised with pride that >ur duty to our homeland was fulfilled.”

[Kuts set up an Olympic record of 13min 39.65ec for the race. Pine came second, Ibbotson third, and Chataway eleventh. It was reported from Melbourne at the time that the three British runners found it impossible to stay with the machinelike Kuts.]