1940 OLYMPIC GAMES

Evening Star, Issue 22459, 2 October 1936, Page 4

1940 OLYMPIC GAMES

CLOSE VOTE IN FAVOUR OF TOKIO A fairly close vote of 36 to 27 decided the venue for the 1940 Olympic Games. It was an even battle for honours, Tokio just winning out over Helsingfors, Finnish capital, aftc. - the American representatives had exercised their influence in Japan’s favour. The award of the winter games was postponed because of the conflict between the International Olympic Committee and the International Ski-ing Federation over questions of amateurism. In support of her hid Japan offered a transportation subsidy of a million and a-half yen to offset costs of travelling to the Far East. Finland based her arguments for the games on her showing in recent years and the fact that Helsingfors would be a much more convenient site so far as European members were concerned. The dispute between the 1.0. C. and the ski-ing federation arose when the ski-iers voted to permit paid trainers or coaches to enter the Olympic competition as amateurs. The International Committee flatly rejected this policy on the grounds that it is contrary to Olympic rules, and postponed further consideration on the award of the 1940 winter games until the rival viewpoints can bo reconciled. _ Some committeemen expressed the view that the 1936 games at GaimischPartenkirchen, Germany, were the last winter Olympics. Finland’s delegates took their defeat with good sportsmanship, congratulating their Japanese associates.