AMATEUR STATUS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19148, 3 November 1927, Page 9

AMATEUR STATUS.

OLYMPIAD DISPUTE. BRITAIN MAY WITHDRAW. i (BT CABLE—PKISS association—coptright.) (AUSTRALIA* AXD X.Z. CABLS ASSOCIATION'.) (Received November 2nd, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, November 2. An official of the British Olympic Association Jus made a statement that the final decision of the Olympiad authorities to permit payment for foot- [ bailers for broken time may lead to the British and Dominion authorities of other sports disassociating themselves from the Amsterdam meeting. The Association is summoning the governing bodies to consider amateurism forthwith. If it withdraws, it will be in defence of this principle as protests regarding semi-amateurism have hitherto been in vain.

TENNIS ASSOCIATION CRITICISED. (AUSTRALIAN AND X.z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Keceived November 2nd, 8.45 p.m.) LONDON, November 1. The Lawn Tennis Association proposes to debar amateurs from receiving money for broadcasting, writing newspaper articles, or giving interviews about games in which they were engaged. The "Daily Express," editorially, says: "For farcical childishness this is hard to beat. Everybody knows that tournament lawn tenuis is steeped in veiled professionalism. Players receive inducements to use special racquets and balls, they stay free in Riviera hotels and take prizes in the form of orders on sports firms, which are very easily cashed. "The Association does nob propose to interfere with amateurs of this stamp but only with players who openly write and talk about the game."

NEWSPAPER OPINION. (Sydne? "Sun" Service.) ■ (Received November 2nd, 8.10 p.m.) LONDON, November 2. The "Daily News," in an editorial, says: "It is difficult to see how the British Olympic Council, having made an issue of the matter of principle, can participate at the Amsterdam meeting. The introduction of broken time allowances is invariably the first and fatal step of concealed professionalism. The abandonment of clear-cut amateurism means that. Olympiads will lose meaning and value, and will let promoters determined to bring super athletes together at all costs change the constitution and permit all comers. But backstair coquetting with professionalism is unworthy of the great enterprise. There is hardly a branch of English sport nowadays wherein the successful so-called amateur is not suspected. The atmosphere generally is so unhealthy that artificial and farcical distinctions will soon collapse in ignominy." /