Skating Events At Olympic Winter Games Arouse Bad Feeling

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6841, 23 April 1932, Page 10

Skating Events At Olympic Winter Games Arouse Bad Feeling

USE OF AMERICAN- RULES IS CAUSE

aITTEII feeling was aroused at the Olympic Winter Games, held at Lake Placid, New York State. There was, indeed, little placidity around Lake Placid. So far as results are concerned, the United States of America carried off the “honours” of these games, but the skating races, in particular, were carried out in such a way that they have been described as only a “parody of fair play.” Under International Skating. Union rules, the competitors compete in pairs, and skate against time, the times for all Ihe individual competitors being compared afterwards. Lint as the Olympic Winter Games this time were held in the United States, the United States rules prevailed. Under these rules the races are run in heats containing up to six competitors each, competing not against time but at the finish. It lias been contendd by European skaters that the United States rules are much more open to the employment of illegal tactics. Indeed, the world’s skating champion, Tlninhurg, of Finland, had refused to go to Lake Placid, because the United Slates rides would operate there. The trouble that occurred justified the European viewpoint. The trouble began to come to a head after the 1500 metres skating race had been held. The competitors in the second heat of this event were recalled by the referee, who declared that they were “stacking,” which implies that some skaters had prearranged a system bv which one of them would win. The race was re-run, and resulted in a win for a United Stales competitor, with a Canadian second. 1 lie United States and Canada, indeed. Idled all the first six places. The threatened storm burst in the heals of the 10,000 metres race, when two Canadians, Frank Stack and Alexunder Hurd, an American, Edwin Wedge, and a Japanese, Shozoishiwnra, were all disqualified. Stack was disqualified for crowding in upon the Norwegian Evenson; Wedge, llurd, and Shozoishiwnra for failing to take their turns when

leading so as to gain the advantage ol tile shelter from the wind which was thereby afforded them by the other competitors. There was great confusion and many arguments after the referee s decision was made known. The Canadians were most indignant. The Scandinavian skaters and’those from Japan at the meeting decided to take no arbitrary action, but merely to protest formally to the American Olympic Committee to the effect that American rules should not he applied to future Olympic Games. They explained that they came to compete under these rules only with great reluctance, and that their misgivings have been confirmed. They thought the rules were so complicated that they could not from their experiences he adhered to, nor could the competitors lie controlled. They said they had seen many violations of them which had victimised some competitors. It was also observed in Ihe 1500 ami 5000 metres races that the competitors skated almost at snail’s pace to within a short distance of the finish, and then all dashed for the winning-post. They emphasise that Olympic championship's run like this cannot produce results in accordance with the European ideals, and that the races must of necessity he nothing less than a parody of fair skating. After considering a complaint from the Swedes, the Olympic Committee caused the 10,000 metres race to lie rerun on the following day. With ihe trouble over the way the skating races Were run, the accident to German and Belgian bobsled teams, and tlic injuries to German and Polish competitors in the ice-hockey matches, the European competitors did not enjoy the meeting at all. Then, as a sort of climax Jo the trouble, the 50 kilometres ski race, which was won by Saarenen (rinland), who covered the course m just under 4A hours, finished in a blinding snowstorm. The emergency food stations on the route were most inadequate!} equipped, and several of the competitors were in dire need of medical attention, but no doctors were to be. found.