“Rules will restrict Games”

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33434, 16 January 1974, Page 14

“Rules will restrict Games”

The present rules of the Commonwealth Games, restricting to nine the number of sports at any Games, would limit their growth in the future, said Sir Alexander Ross, chairman of the British Commonwealth Games Federation. yesterday. Numbers had been rising over the years, from 11 countries at Hamilton. Canada, in 1930, to 42 at Edinburgh four years ago,i

said Sir Alexander Ross. With, I [an increasing standard of living and improvement in . transport, the Games had ' grown—-but if the total at ~ Edinburgh was compared I i with total competitors at • Christchurch, there would be J very little difference. ’( “As chairman of the feder- ' ation. I hope it stays that ■ way,” Sir Alexander Ross said. “The federation wants i the Games to remain within p the capability of as many! I countries as possible.” If the number of com pet i- • tors again began to increase, !• ' no doubt means of steadying 1 1 the growth would be found. I 1 ,1 Sir Alexander Ross felt thatL

,was no fear of the Games becoming defunct. “In this changing world of ours, it is one of the remaining things which still has the power to attract the cream of athletes of almost 50 countries,” he said. The smallness of the num-; ber of competitors in relation to the Olympic Games helped' the promotion of the friendli-i mess which pervaded thei • Commonwealth Games. There was no danger of the Games being disrupted. Sir Alexander Ross said. If a- • security system was firm at; the start —“as the Christchurch one is”—it could • slacken as time went on, but

; it was harder to tighten a s security system that had been ; slack at the start. 5 Sir Alexander Ross yester- > day afternoon visited all the; ; Games venues, and finished ■ bv viewing the Games village.’ He said he was deeply im-; ■ pressed with the progress’ i since he was in Christchurch• I' last March. The village, he said, was admirable, “in spa-' ■ cious, peaceful, and beauti-; ful wooded surroundings.” • “In my view, the village is; , unsurpassed.” he said. “Each; • succeeding Games surpasses, its predecessor—and I fullyi I expect history to repeat it-! . self.” i