Games coverage

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33446, 30 January 1974, Page 16

Games coverage

Sir, —Watergate has emphasised the need for the press to have the freedom to print what is true albeit embarassing. However, with this awesome power must surely go a careful exercise of discretion. This morning's garish treatment of the Quax case was a disappointing exception to “The Press’ ” normally responsible journalism. Worse, were the reprinted utterances of the “Sunday Times” editor. What he said is unsubstantiated and certainly not the talk of the town. Why should “The Press” quote him therefore? Clearly it isn’t policy to print just anything that any person says especially when it is inflammatory and smacks of discrimination. It hasn’t been by accident that the Games have become very much the “friendly Games.” Many people have worked hard to eliminate the usual sources of complaint. But without any real basis at all, your paper has helped destroy a little part of this magnificent friendship on the say so of the ill-informed blatherings of a nobody.—Yours, etc., R. J. ESTALL. January 29, 1974.