True Sporting Spirit,

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18009, 20 November 1926, Page 11

True Sporting Spirit,

OLYMPIC COMMITTEE’S VIEWS,

THE HABIT OF PLAYING FAIR,

WE —the International Olympic Committee—desire the purification of sport. Precisely because in the? new world, which is rising around us. sport is capable of playing a supreme part in promoting progress and social unity; therefore, we desire to see it purer, more chivalrous, more transparently sincere. We count on Great Britain and her Dominions to aid us in this task.—-Message from Baron Pierre De Coubertin, ex-president of the International Olympic Committee, to the British Olympic Association, reprinted in the brochure issued by the New Zealand Olympic Association.

The object of the body controlling the Olympic games is not merely to stage events for the athletes of different nations. Its functions cover a far wider sphere, as the foregoing message suggests. Among many matters which it studies very closely is sporting education. and this was the subject of a very fine report made by a special committee, as follows: The committee considers that to reach a proper conclusion it is necessary to define the terms used. The committee understands by the term " sport ” not. just competition in games and physical exercises, but disciplined competition, inspired by loyalty as much towards the opponent as towards the comrade, b}' the. abnegation of “ self ” and by the idea of the service to be rendered by the individual to the group to which he belongs—team, country, humanity. The committee understands by “sporting spirit’’ the combination (a) of inner and outer truth—that is to say, on the one hand the exclusion of lying, cheating, the will to deceive, and. on the other hand, the effort to form a just opinion of one’s own capabilities and of the service one may render the team; (b) the habit of playing fair: (c) the chivalrous spirit which forbids one to ensure victory by taking advantage of an accident to an opponent or of a mistake by the referee. That is the sporting spirit which must be taught. START WITH TIIE CHILD. The committee considers that to spread that sporting spirit one must start with the child, and that for the training of children it is necessary to ensure that their guides, teachers, coaches, masters, gymnasium instructors are imbued with the same spirit. With this end in view, the committee asks that there be instituted in all countries. as far as possible, one or more sporting schools the pupils of which would be taught not only the technique. but more especially the moral spirit of the different sports. It should be, for example, impossible to find in any sport an instructor who would teach young men means of deceiving the referee, and in that manner alter the normal result of a match. The committee would like a certain length of time in such a school to be made compulsory for all who desire to take part in the education of a child. The committee would like also, as far as possible, that those taking part in the education of children be not satisfied with giving lessons and punishing faults, but that they try to interest themselves in the moral development of their pupils by knowing them also outside school. In this way an atmosphere of truth, of comradeship, of sportsmanship would be created in all teachers, whose influence would produce amongst the children themselves a popular opinion which would shun all that was outside the principles of sportsmanship and loyalty, honour and the respect of others would become popular. It is by the public opinion of his comrades that the child, unconsciously, learns the true sporting spirit.

. For the sporting education of adults, it would be desirable that clubs, when choosing their sporting coaches, etc., should give preference to those who have been trained at such a school. T.he committee understands perfectly that this calls for much time and goodwill, but is convinced that it is the only chance ior many countries to spread the sporting spirit, and so do~s not hesitate in strongly recommending it. IN OTHER WAYS. The committee considers that the Press could play a much more important part than it does to-day in sporting education—-(a) by publishing from time to time articles to enlighten the public upon what is essentially sport and to make it clear that it is the great school of devotion to duty, abnegation of self and service to the community, qualities which are essential to the balance of modern democracy; (b) by emphasising, in the accounts of sporting events, not so much the result achieved as the qualities of courage, endurance and dexterity which the competitors have displayed; (c) by giving at least as much importance to acts of sportsmanship as it gives today to regrettable incidents. For a sporting event to give of its best, spectators not less than competitors must be imbued with true sporting spirit. How can this be attained? We have already touched on this question when speaking of the possibilities of the Press. We consider that in addition one could have printed upon the programme and upon posters placed in athletic grounds, etc., a few well chosen sentences, the object of which would be to make the spectators think of the sporting spirit that is necessary for the success of a competition. For the sake of illustration only, we join to this report a few'' sentences of that kind which have been submitted to us:— ARE YOU A SPORTSMAN? Think: As a Player. 1. Do you play the game for the game’s sake? 2. Do you play for your team and not for yourself? 3. Do you carry out your captain’s orders without question or criticism? 4. Do you accept the umpire’s decision absolutely? 5. Do you win, without swank and lose without grousing? 6. Would you rather lose than do anything which you are not sure is fair? Then you are in the way to become a sportsman. As a Spectator. 1. Do you refuse to cheer good play by your. opponents? 2. Do you boo the umpire when he gives a decision you do not like? 3. Do you want to see your side win if it does not deserve to? 4. Do you quarrel with spectators for backing the other side? Then you are no sportsman. Try to become one.