The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-04-28
FR|CT|ONAR|
OVER FRENCH
COMM TEE
Athletic Followers Protest at
Actions Taken in Ex.
ecutiVe Sessions.

Followers Of athletics in France
are more than little exercised over
what is transpiring in executive
sessions Of the native Olympic com
mitee. Before this committee was
brought into existence there was in
France an organization known as
the National Sports Federation. Al
one time in it's career this fedora
ton was powerful but in the last
eight years it dwindled away until
little or nothing remained. When
the time came for forming an
Olympic committee, sport followers
were startled when they realized
that the personnel Of the Olympic
body was. man for man, that OF
the National Sports Federation. In
some quarters violent protests were
raised but in the majority OF
instances a passive attitude was
offered.
III time it was found that the
trench Olympic committee was
Iunctioning efficiently and that the
business of organizing the games
was progressing satisfactorily. Dis
putes arose but were amicably set
tied. MISUNDERSTANDING were en-
countered but they were adjusted
work on the gigantic plant al
Colombes was started and the
stadium rose without undue delay
and with a very economical outlay
Of funds.
Then there arose in a recent meet
ing OF the committee the question
as 10 the part each representative
OF particular sport was to play In
determining Olympic policies. Sew
eral executives stated that while
each individual preferred one sport
TO all others 1t seemed that after
all athletics were a field in which
the subdivisions were Of equal i'm
portance and while one type Of play
might bring out 10000 spectators
and another type only 400, enthus
imas would be as high among the
400 as among the 10000 and to each
fan his particular sport, regardless
OF the attendance at its games, was
on a par with every other. sport.
Inc statement seemed fair and
honest but difficulty arose when the
representatives Of archery pointed
out that they were permitted only
one vote on important matters while
rugby and other representatives
We're granted five ballots to each
delegate or representative. It was
declared that this was discriminating
against several sports and was
therefore unfair. The secretary,
general Of the Olympic Committee
Frantz Richel, then explained that
the division was determined on the
Olympic status Of each sport. Those
sports which had been on the
Olympic programs Of past games in
addition to those that had been ad
mitted for the coming games were
allowed five votes to each delegate
on the national committee, while
non-O Olympic sports were given
representation but their delegates
were permitted only one vote each.
The explanation was satisfactory
to the majority but the minority
called for a vote. The result was
evident, The Olympic sports repre-.
sentatives were numerically stronger
than the delegates from non.Olympic
sports and, in addition, the Olympic
representatives each carried five
votes to the others one each, so
the measure to change the voting
scheme was defeated by the voting
plan itself.
Commenting on the situation
Paris newspapers are all Of the
opinion that the present system is
the one that is working to the best
advantage SO far as the Olympics
are concerned, and as that is the
major task before the athletic
country at the present time no
change should be made.