OLYMPIC WINTER SPORTS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 140, 14 June 1924, Page 20

OLYMPIC WINTER SPORTS

ARRANGEMENTS CRITICISED

Although Canada succeeded in winning the chief prize that "it had set .out to get in the Olympic Winter sports at Chamonix, namely ' tho international hockey championship, which was served to temper the feelings of the Dominion critics, there are still many" who remain decidedly outspoken tin their views on the manner in which the hockey tournament was managed, particularly with reference to events which led up to the arrangements for the playing of the final round against the .United States, states the ''NewoYork Times." The attempt of the committee to make a last minute change in the ruling relative to the deciding of tho championship in the event of a tie game which together with the-discussion over the referees, still appear to rankle in the-minds' of the Canadian experts. •■•'■-

. "As an example of low the Olympic results lie in the hands of the managing committee, the-Cariadian'hockey experience,is eloquent," writes:H. S.1 Murton hockey expert of Tiie'Toronto Evening Telegram, and inoted • !authority on -the. sport. "It.was announced at the outset of the competition that in caso of a tie m the play-off between the two group finalists, the one would he adjudged the winner which had scored the greater number of goals in the series. '.'This ruling accounts for the high scores made in -the preliminary games Canada scored many, Britain scored", two, while the United States had a blank sheet against them. *i.'"?r n ?! eJ° of the final Sams against the United States, Canada was told'that instead of tho two scored against them by Great Britain being deducted from their total of 85, which would have given them a big lead over the United; btates, their total was to be divided by two. Thus, if the States could tie Canada, they would win, although scoring many fewer goals on the total than Canada.

P. J.- Mulquecn, Canadian Olympic Chairman, -refused to accept this ruling declaring that Canada's players wanted the game finished on the. ice in overtime if necessary, and would refuse to compete under the ruling stated above An urgent committee meeting was then called, and it was agreed to play overtime if necessary, the United States playing under protest at the rescinding of the former ruling. The Americans also played- about for a referee who would, allow free body checking, a department in which they considered themselves strong." The rough playing during the early stages of the game is also made tho topic of much sharp criticism on the part of the Canadian expert. "Had Canada lost," concludes Mr Murton, these comments would be put down to lame excuses : as Canada won they can be considered as comments on Olympic methods."