OLYMPIC GAMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20011, 30 July 1928, Page 9

OLYMPIC GAMES.

OPENING CEREMONY. PAGEANT AT AMSTERDAM. PICTURESQUE PROCESSION. ATHLETES OF THE WORLD. BRILLIANT SUMMER DAY.

Australian Press Association—United Service (Received July 29, 5.5 p.m.) AMSTERDAM. July 29. Prior to the opening of (lie Olympic Games yesterday there was a thunderstorm of tropical intensity on Friday and incessant rain all night, after several weeks of delightful sunshine. The rain again gave place to perfect weather in the nick of time to ensure n successful opening of the Olympiad The Prince Consort, Prince Ilendrik, in the name of Queen Wilhelmina, performed the opening ceremony, in the presence of a brilliant suite. The sun was shining gloriously as he took the salute to the strains of the Dutch National Anthem. Tumultuous cheers followed, and then the majestic parade of tin athletes began. The flower of the world's manhood and womanhood filed past the Royal box, to take up tho allotted positions. Greece, by virtue of having inaugurated the games, headed the procession, and the other nations followed in alphabetical order. The teams, each behind its country's flag, took up positions facing the Royal box. The international and executive committees formed a semicircle in front of the grandstand. Every word of the speeches was audible as the president of the games, Dr. de Visser, and the president of the executive council, Baron Schimmelpennink van der Oye, spoke. Revival of Ancient Contests.

In inviting the Prince Consort to proclaim the games open, Dr. do Visser expressed pride that in spite of the Dutch Government's refusal to support the Olympiad financially, private sympathy had unprecedentcdly awakened. lie paid a tribute to the beauty of the revival of the ancient games. He said unimpeachable honesty and good faith would ruin the contests. Every competitor would have the conviction that the winner of any event would achieve personal and national honour only when his victory had been secured "with shining weapon and clean hands." Let the flame of deep religious passion kindle the souls of the competitors, since this alone could maintain the high tradition and realise the sublime ideal of the Olympic Games. Baron Schimmelpennink referred to the growing feeling that man's mental and physical development should go hand in hand, in order to achieve the harmonious whole. These contests would'greatly realise that ideal. The committee welcomed all the athletes, and wished them an honourable contest. lie then requested Prince Ilendrik to open the games. The brilliant pageantry of the ceremony strikingly illustrated the world-wide growth of sport. The packed crowds in j the stadium applauded for an hour the long procession of the world's athletic armies, from solitary Panama, whose standard was borne by a Boy Scout, to (he battalions of Holland, America, and Germany. The appearance of every division of the British Empire was warmly cheered Lessons in Geography. From the moment when the Greek flag signalised the entry of a body of extremely up-to-date young men as the upholders oi a sporting tradition now centuries old, until the last Netherlander proudly saluted fhc Prime Consort, the 40.000 spectators received a lesson, not only in the universality of sport, but in the geography of the lesser-known European countries, whose names are involuntarily associated in the English-speaking mind with the plots of musical comedies, but who sent a surprisingly strong representation of upstanding men and women. The. massed effect of the flags and uniforms of 43 nations in the centre of the atcna provided a memorable spectacle. Surely there is no greater tribute to the penetrating effects of sport than the extent to which the Eastern countries have embraced Western customs and costumes, in the endeavour to establish themselves on an equal footing with the rest of the world. For instance, the Turks paraded in smart cricket caps and blazers, while silk-hatted officials wearing morning coats headed Japan's group of equally moderniy attired competitors.

UNTOWARD INCIDENT. FRENCH OFFICIAL STRUCK. TEAM ABSENT FROM OPENING. Australian Press Association—United Service (Received July 29, 5.5 p.m.) AMSTERDAM. July 2'J. An unpleasant incident marred the opening of the Olympic Games yesterday. Owing to a regrettable misunderstanding with a gatekeeper the French competitors did not. march in the parade of nations at tho ceremony in tho stadium. The sensation this created was deepened when it, was rumoured that they were so incensed that they might refuse to compete in the games. However, the troublo was later cleared up, and the French team will compete. It, was ascertained that when the French went to tho stadium yesterday they were authorised to view the grounds. A gatekeeper refused thorn admittance. An argument followed, culminating in M. Paul Mericamp, the secretary-general of the French Olympic Federation, being struck in the face. The team then withdrew. The Dutch Olympic Committee learned of tho occurrence and apologised, and tho incident was believed to bo closed, especially as tfio team was informed that tho gatekeeper would be dismissod. When the team arrived yesterday tho same gatekeeper was on duty, and tho team promptly departed. It is understood that tho Frenchmen's pique was intensified because the Germans and Finns were allowed to train on tho Olympic track, to which the French wero not admitted. As tbe French were absent from tho opening ceremony they did not then take tho oath to which tho other teams subscribed*