"STRATFORD EVENING POST" WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1924. THE SPORTING SPIRIT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 69, 16 September 1924, Page 4

"STRATFORD EVENING POST" WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1924. THE SPORTING SPIRIT.

So far as the hopes expressed by the promoters of the Olympic Games Festival, recently held in Paris, are concerned, there is great disappointment. It was urged by prominent men that by friendly rivalry in the world of sport, it would be possible to bind together the youth of the nations in a closer brotherhood that would do much to Eliminate international misunderstandings and animosities. But, in actual practice, the very opposite came about and racial and national animosities were the more stirred up rather than allayed. It is true that some gallant contests took place before a great and sportsmanlike crowd, but such events were rare and day afer day disputations an,] wrangling between competitors and judges astonished everyone. There also seemed to be a lack of the real sporting spirit in a large section of the onlookers, who gave evidence of unfair national partiality towards their own representatives, even indulging in loud and violent abuse, hysterical disorder and rioting. The decision in the boxing contests, in which after much foul fighting, Brousse. the Frenchman, was awarded victor, brought matters to a crisis so far as Britain was concerned, and it was agreed to appeal and unless the decision was reversed in favor of Mallin, the British middle-weight, the whole of the English-speaking contestants would withdraw in a body. The decision was reversed, but in spite of this em- i phatic criticism of the organisation of the boxing, there was so little improvement that the finals were fought out amid a disturbance which required troops to subdue it. But j it was not alone in boxing that there ! were unpleasant incidents. In tone- I iif- tin- ltali'iji foil (earn wore dissatisfied with I ho judging and declined to go on. In the satire contest there was another quarrel, and one or more riucls were announced as the inevitable consequence. Tn various games there were booing* by spectators, free fights amongst them. and atlempui to drown (he nariomil anthems of countries that bad incurred the mob's displeasure. British competitors appear to have fared

bettor than those from other nations. As compared with the Americans our men received quite a cordial welcome. A free fight actually ! broke out in the French-American 'Rugby football match. Under ex- ' treme provocation, the Americans showed nothing hut good humor and generous sportsmanship. "It is all very heartrending." wrote the Times special correspondent. '"There are Englishmen and others here who could almost weep over it. It is particularly sad because we have had, thanks chiefly t 0 General Kentish and his colleagues, a much better organisation for the games than we. have ever had before, and we have no reason whatever to he dissatisfied with the honors we have won. Saddest of all. perhaps, must be the view of one section of Frenchmen. It is Baron Pierre de Coubertin to whom the revival of the games is chiefly due. It is pathetic that it should be in Paris that they should receive their grevious blow." The Tiines, commenting on the report of its special correspondent, said: "Miscellaneous turbulence, shameful disorder, storms of abuse, free fights, and the drowning of the national anthems of friendly nations by shouting and booing are not conducive to an atmosphere of Olympic calm. Disturbances of this kind, culminating in open expressions of national hostility, might conceivably end :in worse trouble than the duel which is feared may take place as the result of the personal quarrel in which a Hungarian and an Italian fencer have allowed themselves to become involved. The peace of the world is too precious to justify any risk —however wild the idea may seem—of its being sacrified on the altar of international sport." If the Olympic Games are to be resumed four years hence, there will have to be drastic reform in the arrangements and conduct of the contests. For one thing it is held that the present scope of the Games is too wide and the great multiplicity of events prevents adequate supervision and control. Undoubtedly the loss of control and discipline in any such contests must, injure the sports affected. Unfortunately there is. even in England, at times exhibited a weakening of the true sporting eririt, which manifests itself as in the recent cricket incidents cabled. On Saturday New Zealand's chosen representatives in the great Rugby game played their first match of the present tour ap Devonport, and were splendidly received, winning after a hard tussle. It is t 0 be devoutly hoped that there will be nothing to mar the tour and that our men will maintain their great reputation for clean sportsmanship. Comments on the game indicate that "some of the New Zealanders' ways in the scrum displeased the spectators" and if this 'displeasure was honestly merited the offenders should be properly warned. On the other hand if the New Zealanders are merely playing the game tactically different from the Englishmen, true sportsmen who know this should make the fact fully known to the British public so that even the faintest impression of unsportsmanlike play may be got rid of at once.