DISQUALIFIED ATHLETE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19800, 22 November 1927, Page 12

DISQUALIFIED ATHLETE.

A REFEREE'S DECISION. REPLY MADE TO CRITICISM. [by telegraph.—press ASSOCIATION. ] WELLINGTON. Monday. " A referee's position is at most an unpleasant one," said Mr. It. W. McVilly, president of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, at the annual meeting held to-night. "He has to decide on the rules of the game, and whenever lie has to give a decision it is generally a most unpleasant task. I take it that no sports body appoints as a referee a ' mail in whom it has 110 confidence, and who is not regarded as a sportsman." In fegard to Mr. McVilly's disqualification at the last Now Zealand championships- at Auckland of C. Gibbons (Wanga-nui-Taranaki) in the one mile championship, Mr. Connop, one of the WanganuiTarariaki delegates stated that his centre wished to know the reason for the disqualification'. He said requests had been sent to the Auckland centre, but 110 notice had been taken of them. In answer to this Mr. McVilly said that while in Auckland it was his unpleasant duty to have to disqualify more than one competitor. Although he saw breaches of rules, no action Wis taken Until his attention was' drawn to the matter by the various officers.' " As far as Gibbous was concerned," added Mr. McVilly, " his interference was apparent to everyone. Within one minute after my decision I acquainted the Wanganui-Taranaki people with the reason for the decision. I do not care two straws what anybody thinks. Once 1 make up my mind that a thing is wrong 1 say it is 'wrong. I must confess my sm pise and indignation on finding that my decision should be questioned by tho Wanganui-Taranaki centre", the , only centre that has ever questioned the decision of a referee." Referring to a statement by Mr. Hugo, a Wanganui-Taranaki delegate, that " there is more in the matter than meets th» eye," Mr. McVilly said: "I, as president of this association, insist that your representative obey the ruling of the president. What, does not meet the eye is. the vindictiveness of the Wanganui-Tara-' nalei centre toward the president of this association. I will not have my integrity and honesty impugned by the'Wanga-nui-Taranaki centre, or by anyone else. It is idle for that centre to say that they do not know why their man was disqualified. It is utterly absurd, ridiculous and unsporting. I always thought the Wanganui-Taranaki centre, were sportsmen. Why do not thev take their licking in a sporting spirit f So long as I am referee at any meeting 1 will - giva my decision honestly and in terms of the rules of tlfe association, and I will not go back on my decision."