Boxers' Amateurism And Empire Games

Chronicle (Levin), 30 November 1949, Page 7

Boxers' Amateurism And Empire Games

WELLINGTON. Noy. 29. "I wotild r'ather see New Zealand represented • by poor quality amateurs than good quality semi-jarof essionals, " said Mr. HL. I. Austad (athletics) at a ineetihg of tlie Olympic and British Empire Games Assoeiation executive tonight. He was replying to Mr. L. A. Traey (bo^dng) who, on behalf of the Boxing Assoeiation/ tiad asked f oioi timi- the riescindihg or amendme'nt oi a motion passed by the Games Assoeia) tion in regar'd to the two-year bond oi amateurism to be signed by Games representatives. A motion by Mr. Traey was subsequently lost. vHe was a great .believer in amateur spoft/said Mx. Traey and would . alwayS support it in preferenee to pro fessionalism but today a radi'eal change was coming over the amateur status. There were . amateur sportsmen who, under the original interpretation of the wo'rd, would not be termed amateurs. Mr. Traey named as examples members of test ericket teams and Davis Cup teams. The Boxing Assoeiation be iieved sueli a bond as that decided on, .vithout a reasonable monetary' penali or alternative, was not practicable. Nine boxers he knew of were considering turning professional. Some had been champions of New Zealand for ovei two years. ' 1 We have persuaded them to remairi amateurs because we want the best team to represent New Zealand boxing at the Empire Games/' said Mr. Traey. "We urge you either to reseind the resolutxon or amend it to make it more reasonable considering the cireumstances that apply. " Mr. Austad said that if there was a posibilitv of nine boxers turning professionai, thdv should not'be in the team. "I feel we have got to uphold amateurism — and that is not to make it easy for those who make their mark as amateurs to ao away and turn pro f essionals, " said the ehairman. Mr. A. D. Bayfield (rowing), replying to Mr. Traey, said boxing was the only body that could stop their athletes turning professional. "There is a peeuliar spirit in -amateur and professional boxing in that they do not run 1 in competition with each other as do athletics, cveling and Rugby and Rugby

league, " he said. The assoeiation ' was placing a most unreasonable time [ limit in view of the cireunistauces in this particular case.