SYSTEM STRONGLY ATTACKED “Sadistic” Selection Of Games Athletes

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31221, 19 November 1966, Page 17

SYSTEM STRONGLY ATTACKED “Sadistic” Selection Of Games Athletes

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. Charges that the present system of selecting New Zealand’s Olympic and Commonwealth Games teams “sadistic”, “humiliating” and “degrading”, were made at the annual meeting of the Amateur Athletic Association in Wellington yesterday.

“There is something wrong about the present system and we should admit it,” an Auckland delegate, Mr R. Cheater, said.

The meeting agreed, for it overwhelmingly passed a remit recommending the Olympic and British Empire Games Association to adopt the quota system. But it was not passed until after a long discussion in which several delegates strongly expressed their dislike of the present system. Injustice To Athletics

“I feel athletics was done an injustice in the Commonwealth Games this year,” said Mr A. Taylor (Waikato). Statistics proved the athletic team was by far the

best performed sport at the [ games, yet the original nomination of 27 was reduced to 19. The present system is for individual sports to announce a list of nominations for the games teams, which are then considered by three selectors. They can choose or reject as they see fit. But delegates felt that it was unfair to build up athletes for a trip by publishing their names in a nominated list only to have them rejected from the final selection. Humiliating Situation “It is a humiliating and difficult situation to put an athlete in if he or she is rejected,” Mr Taylor said. “I know athletes who have had difficulty in facing the outside world after everyone has read that they are up for final selection and then find out they are not in. “It is unfair that we put the athletes in this difficult position,” he said. Mr Cheater: “It’s a sadistic system. I have watched athletes breaking their hearts to

make the games team and then miss out. “As a coach, I have also found it a heart-breaking experience,” he said. The N.Z.A.A.A. will recommend that: Sports wishing to compete at the games apply for permission from the 0.8.E.G.A. to nominate a team. Applications close 12 months before the games. Three selectors appointed by the 0.8.E.G.A. hear representations from three advocates for the size of the team a month after the closing of applications. Within two weeks of the submission the 0.8.E.G.A. will announce the numbers in each sport. Each sport will then select its own team before a closing date set by the 0.8.E.G.A. There shall be no interference from the 0.8.E.G.A. Teams shall be submitted to the 0.8.E.G.A. for determining which shall travel in Category A (all paid for) or Category B (raise own funds). The meeting also decided in games years the New Zealand championships shall be held on an all-weather track