Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-27
Controlling the Amateurs.


Phantom Finn, and Edwin Wide.
the Swift Swede, 1t looks as though
i there was too much regulation of
amateur indoor track and field
meets or not enough. The theory is
that an amateur runner of any nation
ality, receiving no compensation. should
be allowed to run where and when he
pleases, but this is not the practice.
If Nurmi and Wide were professionals
there would be no restrictions on them,
but because they are amateurs they
must receive permits from three or
four committees and associations and
the permits must afterward be ratified
and re-ratified and then approved by
the League of Nations. After that, If
there are no objections from the Box
ing Commission or the w. C. T. u. the
athletes may perform.
/ admit gross unfamiliarity with the
laws governing amateur athletics and
submit that it would take some years of
study in that special branch for any,
body to understand them. Here is a
statement from Mr.. Dan Ferris, secre-
tary of the A. A. u, in regard to the
cases of Nurmi and Wide:
'Nurmi arrived here with credentials
from the Finnish athletic authorities
that permit him to compete here during
an indefinite stay. Therefore. under
the laws Of the International Amateur
Athletic Federation. Nurmi perforce had
to get himself an A. A. U. registration
card.
wide, on the other hand, presented
credentials from the Swedish athletic
authorities specifying competition for
limited period So he Is not asked
to register with the A. A. u. but to him
is granted the good wishes Of the A. A.
U. and the usual permit given to foreign
athletes here for a short time. I hope
that the Swedish people don't think
we are favoring Mr.. Nurmi with any
advantage not afforded MIR. Wide"
Swede's Opinion Unknown.
1t is hard to tell what the Swedish
people think of the situation, If any
thing. It has become altogether too
complicated. They should be gratified
by the fact that the A. A. u. has eX-
tended to Mr.. Wide its good wishes.
Celebrating on the complications. our
Mr.. J. P. Abramson says, wide has
not been as serious in his training here
as Nurmi The Swedish schoolmaster.
here on q mission of learning, has been
pasypig about five hours day in Wash
i3ston schools, seeing all there is to
see about how the American youth is
educated. After school Wide has been
training on Georgetown's outdoor board
track. He has been IN Washington
nearly two weeks
According to this I should say that
the Swedish Schoolmaster Is the ideal
amateur athlete. It seems that he has
made the matter Of training secondary
to his work and the implied criticism
Of Wide for not taking his training too
seriously Is all to his creditor at any
rate, not at all to his discredit.
Wide seems TO be an athlete who Is
running for the pure Joy Of running,
which Is the general idea of an amateur
athlete. but when he suddenly decides
to enter q meet 1t Is necessary for the
secretary Of the A. A. u. TO wire and
cable all of the committees and sub
committees before he is permitted 10
run. Before he breaks the tape at the
finish line Of the. track, he must break
the red tape Of amateur athletic regu-
lations.
The secretary of the A. A. U. inti-
mates that he will be permitted to run
for nothing and that he even will have
the good wishes of the A. A. u, but
that first Of all, the complicated forms
must be gone through.
Nurmi's Other Visit.
There was plenty of whispering at
the end OF Nurmi's last visit to the
United States. The athletic authorities