ATHLETICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 44

ATHLETICS.

DEFINING AN "AMATEUR.' CONFERENCE OF SPORTSMEN IN WELLINGTON. WELLINGTON, March 2.A meeting of delegates from the governing bodies of sports organisations was held here to-day for the purpose of discussing ways and means of adopting a general definition of amateur status. Mr C. P. Slkerrett, K.C. (president), presided, and there were also present Messrs A. A. Marryatt (New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association), G. W. STade (New Zealand • Rugby Union), B. A. Guise (New Zealand Boxing Association), W. S. Brice (Rugby League), M. J. Crombie (New Zealand Cricket Council). A. R. Sdanders (New Zealand Golf Association), A. D. Bayfield (New Zealand Amateur'Rowing Association), and G. S. Hill (New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association). • Mr Skerrett said the conference {was the Outcome of the last annual meeting,of the Sports Protection League, when the, opinion was expressed that in the period of reconstruction something should be clone to try and define the amateur status, 'the present conference would have no legislative.powers, arid would be purely consultative, as. the delegates could refer to the bodies that they represented the decisions arrived at. It was not clear that the conditions in New Zealand differed greatly, from those in England. In New Zealand certainly there were no large sections of the sporting community who received emolumepts from sport, but in England many persons derived a substantial part of their income ..from playing jamas. The meeting could.: consider the possibility of : the acceptance ~of i a general definition, and whether the . definition should be lestricted or enlarged,.so. as to include horseracing and possibly,..aviation. Delegates might also whether it would be possible to come reciprocal arrangement between the various sports organisations, and they could discuss the relationship of New Zealand with the governing bodies abroad. It .was pointed out to the meeting that according to the rule adopted by the New Zealand Amateur Athletio Assc*' ciation, an amateur was one who had never competed for a money prize or stakes nor declared a wager, and one who had not knowingly and without protest competed with or against a professional for a prize of any description, or who had never taught or assisted in the practice of any athletic sports as a means of livelihood or gam. Tlae definition meant, said Mr Skerrett, that if a man was a professional in any class of sport he was deprived of his amateur status in any other part of sport, whether it was cognate or entirely different. After discussion the meeting expressed its opinion by resolution that it was impossible to recommend a definition under which all sports bodies could be governed, but that it was possible- to frame, a definition which would gain the adhesion of a substantial section of sports organisations. Messrs Skerrett, Marryatt, and Bayfield were appointed a sub-committee to draft a definition which might be acceptable to a considerable section, of sports bodies, and were instructed to.refer their report to the various organisations concerned for consideration. ,