RESTRICTIONS ON GAMES ATHLETES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31097, 28 June 1966, Page 6

RESTRICTIONS ON GAMES ATHLETES

(New Zealand Press Association > WELLINGTON. The New Zealand team for the Jamaica Empire Games wiH have to agree to rigid conditions before it leaves.

Although the twoyear bond to remain an amateur has now been deleted from the competitors’ agreement, it still severely restricts what members may do. Members must agree to depart and return with the team at the times set by the association and at all times remain under the control of the manager. Athletes must conduct themselves in a proper manner, exercise their best endeavours to be at peak fitness and “perform to the best of my ability at any meeting or

gathering as requested by the team manager.” Team members may not give press, radio or television interviews without the consent of the manager. Members must also agree to compete on any day of the week, including Sundays if the manager requires them to do so, and competitors have to agree to “undertake to learn all I can about my branch of sport while abroad and to make this information available to my association on return.” Another requirement is that competitors travel at no responsibility to the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association regarding illness and injury.

Players must declare “that I have not been guilty of any act or ommission whereby I have become liable to be declared a professional.” Finally, there is a sweeping amateur declaration, which says: "I declare on my honjour that I am an amateur according to the rules of the international federation governing my sport and that I have never knowingly transgressed such rules and that I [have participated in sport solely for pleasure and for the physical, mental or social benefits I derive therefrom; that sport to me is nothing more than recreation without material gain of any kind, direct or indirect, arid that 1 am eligible in all respects for participation in the British Empire and Commonwealth ' Games.”

Although sectional officials in some sports have had to sign the declaration, presumably it does not apply to others, for at least one official is a professional coach. As international bodies governing differing sports have vastly differing concepts on what constitutes amateurism, the amateur declaration is more binding on some than others. For example, some competitors in the team have accepted monetary prizes. In most sports this is not allowed. In another, advertising of commercial products is allowed on competitors clothing, yet in other sports it is disallowed.