SWIMMING Amateurs Not Affected By Surf Professionals

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30251, 2 October 1963, Page 17

SWIMMING Amateurs Not Affected By Surf Professionals

There was nothing to prevent an amateur swimmer belonging to a surf life-saving club in which a professional might be a member acting in an administrative capacity, the council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association decided in Christchurch last evening.

The discussion followed allegations by the New Zealand Surf Life-Saving Association that the Hawke's Bay Swimming Centre was interfering in its activities.

The secretary of the New Zealand Surf Life-Saving Association (Mr C. Jones) informed the council that certain members of the Hawke’s Bay Swimming Centre had raised the “professionalism bogey” with juniors in the surf clubs with the result that members had been lost to the surf movement.

Mr Jones said in his letter that two professionals. Messrs A. Cotterill and J. G. Wilson, were members of Napier surf dubs, but as the constitutions of the clubs concerned did not stipulate that members should be amateurs, the surf council could not see any reason to occasion the attitude of the swimming association officials. They were not taking part tn competitions and therefore their membership could not affect the status of the other members he said.

The swimming council's delegate on the surf council (Mr K. F. Hancox) reported by letter that the professionalism Question had been raised with the junior surfers by officers of the Hawke’s Bay centre acting as individuals. It was apparently a matter of "personalities.” he said.

Mr R. Shakespeare, the president of the national swimming association, told the meeting that he was patron of the Hawke’s Bay centre and that to his knowledge the matter had never been discussed by it. There was nothing against amateur swimmers belonging to surf clubs which had professional members as long as they did not enter Into competition together, the chairman <Mr A. J. Donaldson) said. Unless an authorative statement had been made by the Hawke's Bay centre there was nothing they could take action on, he said

It was agreed to notify both the surf association and ths

Hawke's Bay Swimming Centre of the true position of the situation and the decision reached regarding professionalism In surf clubs.