Empire Games Swimming Officials

Chronicle (Levin), 26 July 1949, Page 6

Empire Games Swimming Officials

Press Association)

(Per

AUCKLAND, July 25. Criticism expressed last week of the number of officials suggested for controlling tlie swimming events of tlie Britisli Empire Games in Auckland in February, was answered todav by a , spokesman of the. New Zealand Aniateur Swimming Association, Mr. W. O. Stockley, chairman of the Auckland centre. » "The association is the sble authority for the conduct of swimming in this country and ia responsible only to the Tnteruational Federation of Swim-. uiing, " Mr. Stockley - said. "No ohe else has the riglit to- ihterfere with oui decisions/ We will neither seek nor accept the opinion of "either the organising committee of the Games or of any other bodv and any attempt at inter: ference- will be vigorously resisted." That an excessive number of official? was proposed for the swimming and diving events implied that the associa tion had made appointments irrespons: ibly, said Mr. Stockley. Some one in Wellington at the British Empire Games Association suggested that 117 officials would be appointed. This was a guess. The association had not yet released the list of officials. Appoint inents were being discussed eonfidentially and would not be released for an other month. It was anticipated thai there would be difficulty in restricting the number to 117 and every one would' be needed. A total of 129 was requirei* for the last national championships. An hnportapt . point, Mr. Stockle^ said, was that'. tiro list of • swimipinp officials would' "never" be kubmitted to either the qrgauising/vpmmittee of the Games or the British Empire Games Association. The organisirtg' conimit. tee's task wa's to coordinate the activities of the Games and to take care ot fmancial matters. It definitely had no jurisdiction oyer any of the national associations oi* their affiliations. *'