TENNIS AND FILMS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 79, 16 March 1935, Page 5

TENNIS AND FILMS

Players Not to Take Part MOTION REJECTED (Received 16, 12.2 po.m.) PARIS, March 15 The International Tennis Federation rejected by 42 to 41 votes the Czechoslovakian film proposal, the discussion lasting 90 minutes. No delegate mentioned Perry, who is generally believed to be the reason why Britain supported the amendment The voting is secret, but it is believed that the opponents to the amendment were mainly France, Holland, America, Germany, Switzerland, tain, Czechoslovakia. Australia, and and Sweden, anl the supporters BriBelgium. M. GillqU presided, and gained the good humour of the meeting, despite the importance of the discussion, by heralding the debate with the announcement of the “second serviec”. M. Bardo (Switzerland) and M. Borotra pointed out that the international committee on amateurism had not been asked for an opinion regarding the proposal, yet the committee was opposed to It. M. Gillou contended that there was not the slightest necessity for leading countries to send players to the four quarters of thy globe. Moreover, film work was incompatible with amateurism, while there was a wide difference between a man writing a book for doubtful profit and a man paid in advance when he signs a film contract. Other speakers urged that the meeting ought to consider whether amateurism should continue to drift in the same direction as in recent years. An American delegate insisted that immediate and firm *tand was essential to prevent the breaking down of the standard of amateurism, the crucial point thereon being whether a man makes his living by tennis. Mr Youdale pleaded for a more modern outlook in tennis legislation. Mr Sabelli interviewed later said, “We expected greater support, but we were morally victorious. Our opponents were illogical, as a player writing a book was permitted to illustrate photographically, but prohibited irom resorting to moving photographs.” M. Borotra, interviewed, t-aid, “I appreciate the British difficulties, but the motion goes to the root cf emateurism. A player-author’s success depends 95 per cent on brains and 5 per cent on name, but a player making a film would depend 95 per cent on centre-court fame.” The meeting discussed the South African proposal to place a line behind the baseline to prevent footfaults, which was rejected, but adopted M. Sabelli’s suggestion that it should be privately tried in different countries. The meeting agreed to a new allotment of votes whereby Australia, Germany, America, France, aud Britain receive 12 with five delegates, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and Czechoslavakia nine with four delegates and other countri»s proportionately