PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR PRIVILEGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17698, 19 November 1925, Page 4

PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR PRIVILEGES.

To the Editor. Sir, —I notice through the newspapers that “Snowy” Baker was given an enthusiastic welcome to Christchurch by all the bodies of sports but cycle racing- As cycle racing is in the front rank of sport, and as some of his remarks, though admittedly indefinite, were inspired by new exponents of cycle racing, surely real cycle racing ought to have, been represented. However, as Mr Baker does not know of amateur and professional athletics being controlled by the same body other than in boxing in Christchurch. I will enlighten him: as well as the Canterbury Amateur Athletic Association, Christchurch Amateur Cycling Club and the N.Z.A.A.A. As far as I can remember, in Mr Baker’s prowess in athletics, cycling was not included. Therefore, along with three of the adherents to amateur cycling, who admitted to me last week that they would soon look at a walking race, he has not noticed how cycling is controlled in any other place in the world bar his own particular country. The Union Velocipede de France, the largest body in the world, is a professional and amateur body, and sent Michard to the Olympic Games in 1924 to win for France, and in 1925 they sent Meyer; both of these men won the amateur cycling championship of the world, and both turned to professionalism immediately after, just as Mr Baker has done. America boasts the next largest body, and is also controlling both amateur and professional. In fact, a professional promoter took the amateur to England to compete in the Olympic Games. The amateur Athletic Association stated at their meeting that the Olympic Games Committee would not accept an entrant who was a member of a professional body. This they continued to use as their trump card to keep their cycling club members from joining Mairehau Amateur Cvcling Club. Now, here’s 7 a challenge to their definite statement that "no amateur can participate at Olympic Games who is a member of a professional body.” I will give a twenty-guinea silver cup to the Christchurch Amateur Cycling Club if I cannot prove that an amateur can compete at the Olympic Games who is a member of a professional body. They, if I do prove it, to reciprocate by giving one the same value to the Mairehau Amateur Cycling Club. - Now, whilst I am at it, I'll point this out to them as well: there are very few pure amateurs who would be top- ; notchers in the professionals, and it pays many amateurs to stay amateurs, in cycling anyway, for although on scratch in amateur they would be on a big mark in professional. Therefore to a promoter in cycling they would be a draw in amateur cycling and receive handsome remuneration as compared with nothing in -the professional ranks. I think it would be fairly easy to prove that amateur top-notchers arc being paid all over the. world, and as these men meet in the championship of the world, what is it? Lastly, when we have an amateur cyclist , who is a real champion, a man who has ridden only for trophies and can prove he is a pure amateur. whether he belongs to N.Z.A-A.A.. American body, French body, English body or no body at all he is an amateur and eligible to compete in a world’s championship even if we had never heard his name before. And why not? How in the name of all that’s fair, can being a member of anv body have any bearing on his amateur status? I personally don’t care a hang who runs amateur cycle racing in Christchurch, but I do to see it run properly. Unless they provide better racing and better as the men qualify they will automatically pass over to the professional body. As you lose your good men you lose your public support. Outsiders are getting the impression that, professional cycling in New Zealand “is not really what T’d like my boy to be in, don’t you know.” Let me point out to the public in general that 90 per cent of the professionals in New Zealand are purer than some of the amateurs, as they ride year after year and supply their own bicycles without winning a penny. It’s an expensive sport when'you're not winning, I can assure' you. I’ve had some.—l am, etc J. G. MACKIE. Station Garage:. Manchester .Street.