‘Pay’ probe worries athletes

Press, 22 December 1978, Page 20

‘Pay’ probe worries athletes

;NZPA London, New Zealand's Olympic., medallist, Rod Dixon, has i been questioned in relation to a police investigation into alleged “irregularities” in the finances of an international track and field meeting in Edinburgh earlier this year. The investigation, which : could affect the amateur status of several top athletes, is believed to be nearing completion. Scottish police started the investigation early in October after allegations that a : 'percentage of the $56,000; i budget for the August 19; ’Glenlivet Highland Games ( ;had not been properly I: accounted for. ;1 Dixon competed in a one-! mile event at the games. (: The investigation in the I last two months has centred'; on “under the counter” pay-1; ments made by Bill Walker,| the games’ organiser, to> some athletes who competed! at the meeting. I

, It has been widely accepted for years that payments .going beyond the usually 'accepted definition of out-of-pocket expenses are made to athletes competing in big North American and European meetings. This is a notorious grey area in amateur athletics which officials have shown no desire to probe, too deeply. Such payments are not illegal, even if they may infringe amateur rules, but observers in London are worried that the possible revelation of details of the payments in . open court could (leave amateur-athletics administrators with no op= tion but to remove the vital (amateur status of any ath-• ; letes known to be involved, [ No report has yet been( ’.submitted to the Procurator-! ;Fiscal who, under Scottish' (law, will decide what, if’ (any. charges will be laid. j I The police have declined, Ito give any details of what, (athletes have been inter-, i viewed in their inquiries but i

.reliable sources said that all, [international athletes com-, [peting at the meeting had! (been approached as well as 'many top British athletes. ’ Dixon is believed to have! [been approached about a; I statement made by Mr! Walker. ■ [ The inquiries, which were! i virtually ignored by the i

British news media when; they first became public [ early in October, have been. the subject of considerable: publicity in Britain in thelast week. Some com-i mentators predict that up to! 30 athletes, including many: British 1980 Olympic hope-I fuls; could be barred as a[ result of the investigation. j The Procurator-Fiscal is I said to have three options: to lay no charges at all, to lay charges relating to misappropriation and embezzlement, or to lay a lesser charge of falsification of accounts. Sources said the former charge would be contested and would lead to full details ,of payments being given in (open court, while the latter charge would not be congested and full details of the police inquiries would not be (made known. I In the meantime, the British Amatuer Athletic Board i has said publicly that it will (“not sweep this matter i under the carpet,” The board

(and the Amateur Athletic I Association have both set. up J special committees to moni:;tor the outcome of the Ipolice investigation. the International Amateur I Athletic Federation, whose ; headquarters are in London, is being kept informed but G has said that it is unlikely jto become involved. : “If any. athletes were declared ineligible, then the British board would inform us and we would pass on that information to other ' federations,” said John Holt, secretary of the inter? national federation. “We would accept the I word of the national feder- : ation on the matter and! there would be no inquiry! ■ on our part.” The investigation started! : I originally after the police' i had been told that some; North American athletes had! • claimed airline tickets from! I the meeting’s travel agents' ! after they had already been: - paid expenses designed to i cover their travel costs.