WHY DID ENA STOCKLEY FAIL AT OLYMPIC GAMES ?

NZ Truth, Issue 1198, 15 November 1928, Page 1

WHY DID ENA STOCKLEY FAIL AT OLYMPIC GAMES ?

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FAR-REACHING EFFECT OF SCANDAL

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Declaring that she was hounded by cruel slander during her trip abroad with the New Zealand Olympic team, Ena Stockley, one of the finest all-round swimmers the Dominion has produced, has dropped a bomb into social and sporting circles which is likely to create a great sensation, and which, also, is more than likely to ■have' a far-reaching effect."; \ ■ .' ■' ■ . ' 1 ;;'. .;..' ■■ ■; '■}'}/'' : '}'- ■ . .'■-.. ' ; '■ ; : V . '■/,-■ \. '.■.':■ .. ..•"'. ' Ena Stockley states that she was so worried and humiliated that the nerve and mental strain became such that she was unable to sleep at nights, and she became so depressed that she did not care whether she competed for international honors or not. What exactly is behind Ena's statement is not yet public property, but after the bare statement from Dunedin made at the annual meeting of the Otago swimming centre, th e inside story of the team's p articipation at the games may yet provide the bigg sst bubble-over 'that this country has known m the annals of sport.

ON; ttie other hand, Ena Stockley's statement has cheated a great surprise' m Olympic Association circles.: Without fully, discussing the matter, "Harry" Amos, manager of the Dominion representatives)* denied that ahy slanderous; statements, had been made so far as lie pei'sonally was concerned. 1 : -.'■"•■•" . The position of Miss Stockley had been discussed strictly m committee for many hours and there had been a. conference between, the New Zealand Swimming Council and the Olympic Association on the matter. The. outcome of that conference, as he .understood .the I ..matter last weekend; was •■tn^^^jw.i^iffl|;n^iißftun'cil,:----^Oplting.^aXtar^: Tlie . interests, -of >Sfe'ckleyj -waV'jperfectly'.satisfredi' -Me; had. Tnade' a; statement' innvhi ch he; had expressed .' r deep regiet for any misconstruct:ion which 1 might have been read into his report. , '' ' • Miss Stockley, m her interview withf'N.Z. Truth," left the inference that her character and fair name had literally been dragged through the mire. Her honor and reputation had been assailed, and not only she but also her parents were' about to settle for all time the hideous stories that were m circulation throughout the Dominion. Miss Stockley is % firmly convinced m her own mind that either her alleged detractor will make a 'public apology m every newspaper m the country, or he will face a • Supreme Court action. ■ "We have absolute and convincing proof that the slanderous* statements are absolutely without foundation," declared Mrs, Stockley 1 during an exclusive, interview with a representative of this/paper, "and to Manager Amos we will look for the apology." The interviewer gathered, after hearing the facts placed at his disposal, that the visit of the New Zealand team to the Games will ever be associated •with memories too poignant to be' 'cherished.. •Whether there is any truth m this supposition remains to be seen.

During the absence of the 'team,, comment was rife m New Zealand about the non-suc-cess > of the > lady swimmers. -: It was thought that • they may have been defeated by superior opponents, and, of course, they twere competing with the pick of . the talent of the world.

Not for one moment; did anyone suspect that there jw&s,.._the. , ..possibility: o;t^«(oinrre' . slnistei' force- being" at; wdrk sapping the interests of the New Zealand contestants and stagnating' the greatest of all incentives to effort — enthusiasm.

To-day rumor ia rife throughout the country that the team was beset by circumstances that struck m their operation at the very root of unify and harmony.

Public subscription sent the team overseas, and now, m view of the statement 6 of Ena Stockley, bare as it is,' public • opinion demands that the cards: be laid on the table and that the Dlympic Association state the facts m cold print— whether or not there was any dissension i n the team and where the blame, if any, lies.

A confidential report was written by a. 4 member of the swimming section of the . team, and its disclosures are stated to be astounding. The New Zealand Swimming Council has the matter m hand, but m spite of the efforts made to keep the whole affair quiet jintil some finality could be reached, the cat was let out of the bag at the annual meeting of the Otago Swimming Centre last week* when the chairman was reported as having promised, that "when the report is pub-lished-it will. reveal some charges; of a very grave nature " •

When "Truth" called upon- Miss Stockley m Auckland last week', she was not disposed to discuss the matter at all, and declined to be drawn into any discussion of the charges that' had been made against her;. . ■ . , ; .. "Really, I am not m a position' .■'.at this stage to say anything at „ all about the matter,'/ she said. "My hands are tied and I am. doing ■ nothing until the - New ZealandSwimming Association -has decided what is to be done." '■'„•;■;"'■'; '. The object of "Truth's" visit; was also made known .../., .to. Mrs. Stockley, but she, like . her daughter, declined to go into, the; charges that ■ had i be'en made Or the . ■■..-,;••■ - nature; of the slander. ■■',/. 'v'^ S\v..-'"''-"l am .sorry I cannot say .? anything about it ;at this stage, V. she remarked. "You see, we are waiting to hear \Vhat the Swimming Association is going to dp, but when the time is ripe you will get the whole story." , :.V ' V- . Miss Stockley 'was then asked if it were, a fact .that she had. been slandered, while she was away Svitli . the team.- ■'■■■'.■'; ;- - ■'. ■': ■■■, ' ,\'>':, ■>'-''■*■ '{■■'■.-. "There is no doubt aboutcit, I was," she replied. ; . v^ • ,' --' : '. -.'■•.■ '\-' : . : it was obvious^ thatvMiss $tpck- ■ ley was, -affected very keenly .by. the •■'. matter, but she displayed; no animus' m the tone of her voice. ". '■ When it was , suggested , ,that . . the ■ worry of the whole thing must have affected her at. the Games;; Miss Stockley made no secret, that "slie' had -siif-; fered' great mental agony.'. '; 0. f ■' .' >

:, VI; was so yiiriskt 'sirld I W6i'ri6d 'tfjjout it all ; t,hat 1-^buld not ;slefe!P at _rilsht; arid it 'took all "the .pep. put of /me^'/sJie remarked." "Asqa niatter: 6t fdct^ltfelt

"I Was Shndered"

that I did not care whether I competed . or not." Miss, Stockley ■ added that she felt absolutely •..; miserable, but she made it quite clear, when asked a question on this point, . that she had • nothing to say about the mem- ■ bers of the team, who she felt sure would stand by her. Mrs. Stockley de- „ c.l ar e d definitely ; 7 'that, thej^i, qi^estion ■ ' lowed to rest. ' gk Words could ilot ;;:v -express ':■'■ the vlndig;- : [{' liation' Ena's , par-; ents felt over the! whole matter, and they . were determined to. see that' their daughter's good name and honor were vindicated. "Either Ena's detractor will apologize m every paper m the country ,or we will, if necessary, go to the highest court m the land," she said. The:, idea of a public ' ventilation ; of the sorry, business was repugnant to the family, but, it was alleged. Miss Stockley's reputation and honor had been so unjustifiably blackened and slurred that.it had become/necessary for ttie sake of the family honor to take steps to force the., detractor pubticly to apologize, •r, failing that, to have Ena's characier cleared ' m a court of law. . |

"I would like to tell you the whole story, but the time is : not opportune," said Mrs. Stockley. "You '. will be aghast when you know what has been said about my daughter, but we have absolute proof that the slanders tire without the slightest foundation." After hearing Ena Stockley's side of the case, "Truth" called on Harry Amos. : The . manager of the Qlympic team said, that he would; be qtiite prepared to discuss the matter, \yith the representatives, of the paper,- but he did riot think it opportune to go right into the facts m the meantime. .'•-"[

' It was pointed out to Xmos that the basis of Miss Stockley's statement was .that she had been the subject of grave slander while a member of 'the team.

v "I; am very- sorry that Ena Stockley has seen fit to make any statement, at all," said Amos. "So f jar. as I ,am,concerned, I absolutely deny that I was responsible for any slandering of Misa ■Stockley^ ■•( : , ■."'■ ■ '-'• ,- ; -.•'■■■ y--:''^':?";::;:.

■-"Any trouble there may - have been m the team; was the subject of a Icpnfidential report made :by me arid delivered personally when I arrived back m Wellington. "There o may, have been ■ a ; ; ' misconstruction \, o/E my

views, , fox- which I am very sorry, , and to that end I wrote to the New Zealand Swimming Council." ■ ' - ' / ..

Amos denied that the explanation was' an apology to Ena Stockley m iregard to ?the incidents which she alleges o'ecurred. .

.. A. D.-Bayfleld, actingrchairman of the Olympic . Association,; .also expressed surprise .when he- was informed that EnarStockley had made certain allegations m, connection with the - tour.

.''l have nothing .^o. say oh the matter, y except tliat the Olympic Association -hias-^f u llV'-'cdiifi'deric'e m Anios and

his!reljprt

J'l uhderstoJDd that, t,this matter you refer to ■ had ( been amicably: settled. In trie' 'meurit'ime' 'you had better get m touch with' the New. ; ; Zealand- SwimCouncili"-.; :/■ .' r v ;■ ■• -\ This^clbsed a. very -ahort, Tsu't quite satlsfa'ctory interView with Baytteia.

';. Bishdp.y ,the chairman of the New Zealand Swlrriming; Council, when ap-i>roavilea;fbir:-'^rutii,^ ,r ef used,. to,vdis-

cuss the question from any angle. Apparently, Otago made a slip when the bald ; suggestion was thrown out that there would be a sensation m due course. . • .■-.'.'.

Coining as it does -weeks , after the Avelcoriie home to the team, during 'which 'it, was stated that each member had given of his or her best" at the Games, and that the team had been a happy family, the whole sorry business is astounding.

It cannot but give a serious setback to. any ■ further , representation of New Zealand, at the. Olyriipic GJames, whatever'.; the., outcome. ' :

It ,is ;commo'ii;k'nbwiedge ,t,hat trouble ! 'the- Australian, FSouth/AWica^^i^^^-^^ and just, at 'present the inside !'mor|y of -.the Aiistralianl team's: tour is tl>e subject -''of sensational, charges;, arid 'denials, from week to 'weekA ;

So far as the New Zealand team is concerned the trouble appears ; to re-^ volve round the swimming section",' whose interests are being looked after by the New Zealand Swimming Council. ' , . . •

_. This body cannot, of course, sit m punitive judgment, on Manager Amos, but m view of Miss Stockley's statement to "Truth" that the council is dealing with the matter, it will be to that body that the public will look for a full disclosure.

There seems, to be no doubt that, in due course the full information will be forthcoming.; ■ - '

It cannot be too strongly emphasized'that the facts must be made, public at the earliest opportunity.

There is a need for haste, foi* every day that passes; with nothing done,; m view 0f. ..a11. that .has happened, must be prejudicial to either Miss Stockley or .Amos. : / ■ ; > : .

The whole affair appears to be a disgraceful scandal, viewed from all angles, and m the interests of all parties concerned, all the cards must be placed on top of the table. .