ATHLETIC TEAM SENSATION

NZ Truth, Issue 1262, 6 February 1930, Page 5

ATHLETIC TEAM SENSATION

Peltzer's Protege, Emton, Uses Assumed Name, Losing Amateur Status

BROKE THE RULE IN AUSTRALIA (By Cable— From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Sydney Representative.)

£immimiliiiimiiiimmiiimmiiiiiimiimiiiiiiimiii iiimiiiiiiiii n iiitiiiiuittiiiuMitiiiiMiiitiuitiiitiiiiiiiittiiniiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiniiiiiitiiiiitiiMiiiiiiuiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiiittiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiftt iiiiiiiiimimmimi I ■'•.■■ ' ) : | The visit of the international athletic team to Australia- has been sensational for j | reasons apart from the actual competition, especially m the case of Sydney, where the | Peltzer incident will be remembered for time immemorial. | On top of this comes another, bombshell, m which the German athlete, Gerhard 1 Emton, Dr. Otto Peltzer 's protege, as the daily newspapers have styled him, is the prin- | cipal figure. I Emton is travelling and competing under an assumed name, which m itself is a I violation of clause "G" of the amateur Athletic Union of Australia rules. Emton (or | Obermuller. as. he admitted to "Truth" was his reai name) forfeits his amateur status. 1 Nothing official is known as to his standing and qualifications, and it looks as I though the Amateur Athletic Association will have much food for thought as to just j | where that body stands m the matter, m view of Emton's appearance m Wellington on j 1 Saturday afternoon. * j

-.IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiniIIIIIIII THIS youthful athlete reached Australia under a cloak iof secrecy. The A.A.A. officials m Victoria and New South ' Wales' knew nothing about him until Dr. Peltzer broached the news on his arrival. From Melbourn.e he was rushed across to Sydney so that he might see his beloved idol compete at Manly on January 15 and at the cricket ground three days later. Prior to Em ton reaching Sydney careful propaganda was spread of his prowess as an athlete covering sprinting, middle-distance running and high and broad jumping. . The doctor m view of the nonarrival of the American all-rounder, Osborn, pressed for some competition for Emton. ' : Mr. Weir, secretary of the Victorian' Amateur Athletic Association, fell m with the proposal and amended his original contract with the New South Wales Association to permit Emton taking part m Sydney. It is now a matter of history how the Sydney High School boy, Reg. Ashbarry, walked away from the boy m a dash over a hundred yards m the record time for New South Wales, and as for Emton's high jumping the least said about it the better. Sufficient is it to state that he could not live up to the figures Dr. Peltzer claimed for him. Prior to taking out the steamer tickets for New Zealand on Friday last, to all intents and purposes Gerhard Emton was, Gerhard Emton, but when confronted' by the booking clerk Avith the detail slips demanded from all prospective entrants into New Zealand Gerhard, like the chameleon, had to change his color. After a lot of hesitation he admitted that his true name was .Gerhard Obermuller. The clerk was satisfied that this was a statement of fact, but since the advice of the ticket payment from New Zealand: covered Emton he forthwith proceeded to the Dominion agents m Sydney arid finally* emerged with a ticket-slip endorsed "Gerhard Obermuller," professionally known as Gerhard Emton. Interviewed at his hotel before sailing by the "Ulimaroa" Emton, after some persuasion, admitted the facts outlined and agreed that his true name was Obermuller. ; He. was born at Stettin, m Ger^ many, and the. best part of his life of ''seventeen years he has resided at Saalfield and daily travelled; to school at Wickersdorf, anoroximately twelve kilometres , distant.' Throughout the interview he was ill at ease and preferred that the interviewer await the return of Dr. Peltzer; who' was absent on a shopping expedition. Asked if he knew what breach he

innmnmnmiminmimmmimimmiiiiiiimiimiiiiiiiiiiimiimimiimiiiiiiiiimiimi. was committing ■, m competing unde" an assumed name, Gerhard merely shrugged his shoulders and made for his where he commenced to tap out a message, m German. Questioned further, Emton, or Obermuller, confided that he had participated m open competition m Germany and was a member of the Preussea Sports Club, of which Dr. Peltzer is also a member. The opportunity did not afford itself for a discourse with Dr. Peltzer or. this latest development. The competition of Obermuller under the name of Emton means that he automatically> forfeits his amateur status under Section 1, Clause (g), of the Amateur Athletic Union of Australia rules. The. clause reads: "Entering for, ' or competing m, any athletic event under a fictitious name as an amateur, the

entrant forfeits his status and becomes a professional." Just how far the trouble will extend it is hard to say, for the International Athletic Federation rules provide that any athlete leaving on a tour to a foreign country must first obtain thr> consent of his home association t> make the trip. In the case of Dr. Peltzer this was obtained by the Australian Union from the German Sports Union, and m th« case of Lermond from the American Athletic Union. i But what of Emton? No one thought to apply for permission even as an act of courtesy. ..For all. the people of Australia and New Zealand might know he may be a disqualified athlete. He might even have been as good a professional as Jack Donaldson. minim iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiHiiiiniiiHiiiHiiimiiiimiiiuiiiiim

It will be a ticklish position for the* Amateur Athletic Union of Australia to explain away the matter, but they can fix a certain amount of blame on the Victorian A.A.A. to whose control they deputed the tour. Even the New South Wales A;A.A. are not absolved from blame. What a joke it will be abroad when they find that a foreign athlete has been permitted to take part m Australia without question as to his standing or qualifications. Regarding Emton's, or Obermuller's, expenses, it is understood that Dr. Peltzer arranged for, his passage from Germany. i The New South Wales A.A.A. paid his expenses m this State and the Victorian body did likewise m Melbourne. The New Zealand Athletic Association,; paid for his ticket across the I Tasman. (