Ryun “Pawn In Dispute"

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31366, 11 May 1967, Page 15

Ryun “Pawn In Dispute"

(N.Z. Press Assn.— Copyright) NEW YORK. America’s world champion miler, J. Ryun, has become a pawn in the dispute between two major athletic organisations in the United States, reported United Press International.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association claims that the Amateur Athletic Union has not recognised Ryun’s 880 yards time of Imin 44.95ec, run at Terre Indiana on June 10, 1966, as a world record because the meeting was not sanctioned by the A.A.U. The executive director of the A.A.U., Colonel D. Hull, replied that the A.A.U. had applied to the International

Amateur Athletic Federation to have the run recognised as a world record. But the I.A.A.F. had refused to ratify the record because the meeting was conducted without the sanction of the A.A.U., which is the official controlling body in the United States, Colonel Hull said. The A.A.U. made this disclosure in defending itself against what it called “a continuing vicious attack” by the rival N.C.A.A. and the United States Track and Field Association. The A.A.U. and the N.C.A.A. have been embroiled for several years in a dispute over the control of amateur athletics and the N.C.A.A. has accused the A.A.U. of using Ryun’s record as a pawn in the battle. The A.A.U. said that it was still possible for the run to be ratified as a record if the organisers of the meeting applied for retroactive sanction under the auspices of the A.A.U.

The A.A.U. called this a “generous offer” but said so far it had been spurned.

tarter Retires.—The 27-year-old Northamptonshire and England fast bowler, J. D. F. barter, has retired from first-class cricket because of a recurrence of a foot injury. Larter played 10 times for England, against Pakistan, New Zealand, India and South Africa.