Row Over Trade Marks On Skis

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31596, 6 February 1968, Page 15

Row Over Trade Marks On Skis

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) GRENOBLE.

A major controversy has arisen on the eve of the Winter Olympic Games over a decision to ban all trade marks on competitors’ skis.

The world’s leading ski-ing nations, among them France, Austria, the United States, and Canada, were all angered by the ban. A leading Austrian official said: “The ski makers have made a great contribution to our sport. If this decision is not reversed, it could affect the whole future of international ski-ing.” National ski associations are heavily dependent on equipment they receive from ski manufacturers, and it is feared this support will be withdrawn if the manufacturers lose the benefit of publicity.

The ban was announced by the International Ski Federa-

tion, whose president (Mr M. Hodler) is a member of the International Olympic Committee.

The committee is vehemently against publicity being given to ski-makers by prominent trade marks on skiers’ equipment. “Biting the Hand” Mr R. Beattie, coach of the United States team, said: “This is certainly not the answer to the amateur problem.”

And Mr V. Anderson, coach of the Canadian ski team which includes the gold medal prospect, Miss N. Greene, said: “All the equipment is provided for nothing by the manufacturers. This is biting the hand that feeds you.” One of Austria’s most respected ski administrators said: “Ski boots are expensive, and you can’t ski barefooted.”

Mr H. Bonnet, trainer of the French team, was studying the rules of the Interna-

tional Ski Federation to check whether the ban was legal. Olympic skiers have been warned that they will be disqualified if they ignore the order to cover all trade marks on their equipment. Tenth Games More than 1300 competitors from 37 countries will compete on skis, skates and sleds for 36 gold medals In the tenth winter Games. Events will be held at six different centres, varying from Grenoble, which is only 700 ft above sea level, to the 6128 ft altitude of Alpe d'Huez, where the bob sleighs will swoop down the 1500 metres run at speeds up to 90 miles an hour. '

The bob sleigh ’events will be held at night because only then is the temperature low enough to freeze the ice which tends to soften during the day because the run is built on the sunny side of the slopes. The main interest in the alpine ski events, to be held

at Chamrousse, will be in the efforts of J. Killy, a 24-year-old Frenchman, who is being acclaimed as the greatest alpine skier of all time.

In a field in which competition has become very keen, Killy will be out to emulate the feat of the Austrian, T. Sailer, who won three gold medals at Cortina in 1956.

But Killy faces stiff opposition, including K. Schranz, the Austrian former world champion, W. Kidd (United States) and other stars from Switzerland and Italy. Miss M. Goitschel, aged 23, who won the giant slalom for France in the 1964 Olympics, Miss N. Greene (Canada), Miss B. Faerbinger (West Germany), and Miss F. Bochatay (Switzerland) are among those fancied for the women’s events. Nordic Races The Nordic (long distance) events should provide a tussle among the Norwegians, Swedes and Russians. Finland, winner of three Nordic gold medals in the last Olympics, should come into

the reckoning, but is not very optimistic. Holland has never won a gold medal for speed skating, but should get into the record books this time through K Verkerk, who set a world record low score total of 1780.058 when winning the world championship in Oslo. E. Danzer, of Vienna, winner of the European championship four times in succession, should win the men’s figure skating gold medal to add to his world title. Only One?

The world champion, Miss P. Fleming, should win the women’s figures title to give the United States what could well be its only gold medal. The British Olympic champions, A. Nash and R. Dixon, are given only a slim chance of retaining their title, especially as they will be racing in a borrowed bob sleigh Russia, the world champion, should retain its title and the Olympic crown in the ice hockey. The chief dangers are Canada, Sweden and Czechoslovakia.