SPORTSMANSHIP.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 243, 13 September 1932, Page 8

SPORTSMANSHIP.

PRINCIPLES SPREADING

AUCKLAND, Sept. 12. Speaking at a luncheon of tne Auckland Rotary Club to-day, Count do Baillet Latour said that the International Olympic Committee was fundamentally opposed to the introduction of professionalism into world games. It was very much to the credit of the French committeo that it refused to countenance its great runner, Ladoumegue, competing in the Games on the ground of professionalism, and, although the Finnish committee strongly endeavoured to havo Nurmi admitted as an amateur, it withdrew its claims when the international committee unanimously voted against his admission.

On the whole, there was more of the British spirit of fair play about the last Olympic Games than ever before. When a F’inn, Lahtinen, was accused of obstructing Hill, an American, in the 5000-metre race, the American refused to lodge an appeal, and when a journalist said, “The Finn put you out of your style,” Hill replied, “That could not be. I had no style left.” That night spent weeping liecause he said nis tactics had been quite unintentional. That, said the speaker, showed a different spirit from that of the last Games at Antwerp, when the Czecho-Slovakian football team spat at the referee because they objected to his decision.

The principles of sportsmanship were born in England, but were rapidly spreading to all countries of the world and the Olympic Games were doing more to foster that spirit than anything else, Count do Baillet Latour said. He was glad to note that American universities were now not so prone to finance students who showed marked ability in sport.