OLYMPIC GAMES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20292, 28 December 1927, Page 11

OLYMPIC GAMES.

BROKEN-TIME PAYMENT. ATTITUDE OF BRITISH SPORTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) LONDON, November 16. A conference of the various British sports at the Stadium Club in London, on Saturday, condemned the decision to admit broken-time payments to the football section of the Games, and showed a disposition t6' go to Amsterdam, but left each sport to decide the question of participation for itself. The position as it stands is as follows: Britain will not compete in Association football and hockey at Amsterdam. Britain may not compete in boxing, rowing, and cycling, which sports had expressed their intention not to take part if broken-time payments were allowed in any form. Britain will compete in the athletic festival, the original section of the Games, and real reason for their existence. The attitude of other sports, such as swimming and gymnastics, is uncertain. It is expected, however, that most ot these sports will ultimately agree to take part in the Games, under protest. About 40 delegates attended th e meeting at which Lord Rochdale presided. It lasted about • two hours, and at the end the (following resolutions were passed: 1. “ What this meeting strongly disapproves of any payment for broken time.” 2. “ That this meeting of representatives of the sporting associations, whose sport is included in the Olympic Games, endorses the British Olympic Association’s resolution of protest, and, while it is of the opinion that the action of tne executive committee has seriously prejudiced the prestige of the Olympia Games in the world of amateur sport, feels, nevertheless, that each individual sport in this country is justified—if its governing body so desires—in supporting its own section of the Olympic Games so long as the International Federation controlling that section is emphatically opposed to all payments for broken time, however directly, or indirectly, payment may be made.” “'This meeting is further of opinion that the Olympic Congress should take strong measures to secure that the control of the Olympic Games is left in the hands of a committee directly responsible and deriving their power solely from the congress itself.” DECISION OF THE A.A.A. That Britain will take part in the athletic festival is indicated by the decision of the general committee of the A.A.A. taken in London on Saturday afternoon —■ before the broken-time" conference assembled. This was the resolution: “ The General Committee of the Amateur Athletic Association, having received through the British Olympic Association the reply of the executive committee of the International Olympic Committee to the protest made by the 8.0. A. against th e decision of the executive committee authorising the payment for broken time to amateurs participating in football events in the Olympic Games views with \cvy grave concern the confirmation or the . previous decision of the eexcutivo committee; and the A.A.A. in General Committee assembled, expresses its strong and unanimous disapproval of such action, as not only is the decision to sanction such payments directly opposed to the fundamental principles laid down by the International Olympic Committee for the promotion of the Olympic movement and the carrying out of the Games, but also is directly contrary to the definition laid down by the Olympic Congress at Prague on May 21, 1925, and to the rules and regulations already issued in , r^P et T of the Olympic Games to be held at Amsterdam in 1928.’