SPORT AND PEACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 545, 24 December 1928, Page 10

SPORT AND PEACE

THE award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Baron Pierre de Coubertin whose efforts brought about a revival of the Olympic Games, is probably the greatest tribute paid to sport in modern times. It has significance, too, because it shows that the Nobel Foundation has come to the conclusion that there are other factors making for peace besides the conferences of diplomats and the dreams of visionaries. The baron now honoured began his campaign for a revival of the Games in 1896, and in 1900 the first of the new series was held at Athens, the city where the epic contests of ancient days had taken place. The ideal that prompted this revival is an excellent one; hut there does seem to be a doubt in some minds whether the ideal has not sometimes been forgotten in the actual contests. It was thought that good could result from the bringing together of athletes from all the countries of the earth, but it is questionable whether the desired fellowship and understanding has been engendered. There was unseemly wrangling after the games held this year, and the bitterness did not remain in Europe alone: we have had our little wave of it even in New Zealand. In spite of the Nobel Foundation’s pleasing tribute to sport there seems to be justification for the belief that sport is taken just a trifle too seriously in these days. There is too little thought of the game, and too great a value placed on the prize. After all, the primary object of athletics and games is tef make the young of the country keen and healthy, and the gaining ot the guerdons should he an incident. But it is difficult to claim that all feelings of partiality are absent in the Australian cricket Tests, for example. The Australian apologists can scarcely be admired, neither can the sporting pundits who are pouring out their comments in the English papers. The cricketing spirit that the men of Hambledon knew has been forgotten and m its place has grown up a hotter and less admirable feeling’ The trouble cannot he said to resij with the players themselves, but it is the violent partisanship of their supporters thatcreates the unpleasantness. Maybe the Nobel Foundation is right; let us hope that it is, but past experience has shown that m the heat of these international contests there have been Incidents it is sweeter to forget.