AUSTRALIAN ROWING CHAMPIONS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17469, 1 June 1922, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN ROWING CHAMPIONS.

ENGLISH DEFINITION OP AMATEUR. (FHOII OUK OVTN CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, May 2i. Not only in South Australia, where the Murray river eight-oar champion rowinj crew comes from, but throughout fiporting circles in every State, there is a feeling of indignation at the possibility that the crew which recently won. the championship against all-comeis in Australia, is likely to be debarred Irom competing in the English Henley Kegatta, because ol the classconscious ideas of the lowing authorities there as to what constitutes an amateur. The question of the status of the oars*men was raised when the South Australian rowing authorities were con-idering the means of despatching the crew to England. It was then discovered that one of the principal English clubs had the following rule regarding amateurs:—"No person shall be considered an amateur oarsman, sculler, or coxswain wiro is, or Has beon, by trade or employment by wages, a mechanic, artiBan, oy labourer, or engaged in any manual duty." As all of tli-- members of the crew were included in that category, a cabled request for a statement on the position was oen.t to the English authorities, stating that the champion amateur eights of Australia desired to compete at Henley, and that the occupations of the crew included locomotive engine firemen, locomotive engine drivers, fitters, postal clerk, captain of a. river steamer, and a carpenter. Although no official reply has jet been received, cabled opinions of experts in En"'larid indicate that the prohibition of "menials" will not be waived. The claim of the English Amateur Rowing A:sociation i 3 that the reason for the rule was solely ]e3t he who earns his livelihood by muscular effort should have an unfair advantage over the ordinary amateur oarsman. The position is creating a good deal of interest in Australia. In the Australian acceptance of the term, the Murray Bridge re-were are certainly amateurs. They do not earn their living at rowing, but have to work at other occupations, and during the past few years, some members of the °crew it is stated authoritatively, have lost over £IOO each as a result of losing time at their employment, in order to follow their sport.