OLYMPIC GAMES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 23 July 1924, Page 9

OLYMPIC GAMES.

DEATH KNELL SOUNDED. BITTERNESS ENGENDERED. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. Received July 23, 9.45 a.m. LONDON, July 22. “No More Olympic Gallies’' is the heading under widen the Times delivers judgment upon the disgraceful scenes at Paris, lc says: “The unhappy experience confirmed witn dreadful clearness tiie long-felt misgivings that the tendency of these games is to inflame rather than to allay international animosities. The . Olympiad has been weighed in the balance, and, found not only wanting, but positively dangerous. Both the actions of individual competitors and the spectators have given rise to disagreeable incidents of a definitely provocative and volcanic character. Even tne judging lias not been free from reproach.” It adds: “Disturbances of this kind, culminating in open expressions of national hostility, might conceivably end in worse trouble. The peace of the world is too previous to justify any risk, however wild the idea may seem, of being sacrificed on the alter of international sport. The right, spirit of such, sport was 'rightly shown at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. Despite the severity of the defeat of the Empire competitors, tiai spectators took the beating in perfect good humour, while the Americans were entirely free from the arrogance of success,’ hut in the Olympiad, apparently, this human camaraderie is not proof against the loss of self-control to which., national partisanship may give rise.”

The Times concludes by drawing attention to the correspondent’s view that nobody would feel justified in again appealing for public support in sending another full British team to the Olympiad, adding: “It may be expected that the Americans concur in this view, and that the death knell of the Olympiad has been sounded.” — Times. DISGR ACEFUL INCIDENTS. Received July 23, 12.20 n.m. LONDON. July 22. The newspapers, without exception, comment outspokenly on the disagreeable incidents and disgraceful scenes characterising practically the whole course of the Olympic Games. A climax was reached in the final stages of the boxing. During the semi-final for the middleweight between an Englishman and a Frenchman, the latter bit his opponent’s chest and employed flagrantly foul tactics throughout. Notwithstanding that he was clearly outclassed, the Frenchman was awarded the fight. This was only one of a number of shocking decisions. The Britishers protested, and the decision was eventually reversed, thereby averting the withdrawal from the contests of the whole of the English-speaking competitors, including Americans. The ill-feeling continued in the finals at night, when scenes of unparalleled pandemonium followed several decisions, 200 gendarmes and squads of soldiers with difficulty restoring order N.Z. Cable Assn.