OLYMPIC GAMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19958, 29 May 1928, Page 9

OLYMPIC GAMES.

AMSTERDAM BURGOMASTER. PREVIOUS REPORT DENIED. Australian Press Association —United Service AMSTERDAM, May 26. The Burgomaster denies the report that he will be absent from the city during the Olympic Games. FOOTBALL ASSOCIATIONS. PAYMENT FOR BROKEN TIME. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. AMSTERDAM, May 26. After a lengthy discussion at a meeting of the International Football Federation, at which 26 nations were represented, it was unanimously decided to grant the executive a free hand to negotiate for the return of the English, Scottish, and Irish Football Associations, which withdrew from the federation on account of the decision to allow payment for broken time to players taking part in the Olympic Games. The entries for the various events at the Olympic Games in the athletic section, 22 for men and five for women, close on July 19, and the opening ceremony will take place in the Stadium on Saturday, July 28. Each country may enter four competitors for each event, and six foi* the Marathon race. The athletic programme extends over eight days, the programme time occupying a. total of 24J, ; houis, including the Decathlon, a contest by itself. The following are the dates for the finals:— Sunday, July 29: 10,000 metres, high jump, throwing the javelin. Monday, July 30: 100 metres, 400 metres hurdles, throwing the hammer. Tuesday, July 31: 800 metres, long jump, 100 metres (ladies), and throwing th>3 discus (ladies). Wednesday, August 1: 200 metres, 110 metres hurdles, pole vault. Thursday, August 2: 1500 metres, putting the weight, hop, step and jump. Friday, August 3: 400 metres, 5000 metres, Decathlon. Saturday, August 4 : 3000 metres steeplechase, Decathlon. Sunday, August F. : . Throwing the discus, 400 metres relay, 1600 metres relay, Marathon, high jump (ladies), 400 metres relay (ladies). The Marathon course, 26m. 385 yds., is absolutely flat. The competitors will run for 400 yards round the Stadium, and then they follow a course to the south of Amsterdam, which consists of a journey some 12 miles out, then a loop and another 12 miles back. Twelve miles of the race is actually along the banks of the Amstel; and the surface is divided into 13 miles on what is described as paved road, eight miles macadam road, four and three-quarter gravel road, and the rest on the track itself. When the competitors enter the Stadium at the finish thev will run half round the track (200 metres). The famous English sprinter, H. M. Abrahams, has stated that in his opinion, while the arrangements are much better than those at Antwerp—where important races started at 9 a.m.—there is still much room for improvement. The afternoons' programmes are generally too long. For instance, the six finalists in the 100 metres will have to wait for 2J hours between the semi-final and the final. The hef.ts of the 5000 metres are on Tuesday, Julv 31, the final not till Friday, August 3.