Imperial Valley press., 1932-07-26
GROUP OF FEUDS
CROPPING UP IN
OLYMPIC TEAMS
Much DiscOrd Reported
Among Athletes From
Various Nations.
BY STUART CAMERON
United Press Sports Editor

LOS ANGELES. July 26. - Pre-
Olympic fights which were just
reaching the fostering stage today
belied the lofty motives and ideals
.ascribed to the international games.
So far the fuses have been large
/ ly national There is. how
ever, a smattering of international
diseord which is certain to flare into
the open before the amateur sports
t extravaganza is opened by Vice
President Curtis on Saturday.
/ International or intra- national, the
fuses, arguments, fist fights. gun
play. inenuendoes and open charges
today completely overshadowed the
/ final preparations for renewal of
the historic games.
There were no less than seven up
heavalS. These were:
l. Argentina's fight for official
control of its athletes.
2. Charges that Canada.s women's
relay swimming team was hand
picked"
8. The appeal os Mayor Porter of
Los Angeles for funding of the
games, ana his charges that east
erners 'let down" the U. S. team.
4. Paavo Nurmi's suspension on
grounds of professionalism.
5. A similar suspension given
Jules LaDoumegue of France.
6. Stella Walshs laSt-minute de-
cision to run for Poland instead of
the United States.
Most spectacular, of course, was
the Argentine matter. Removal of
DR.. A G. Gaudino as president of
his country'S team, startling as it
was, came only as an anti-climax to
the fist-fighting and gun-drawing
done by some of the South Amer
lean athletes.
Janet Sheather of Toronto was
not selected as member of her coun-
try's relay team and her mother is
said to have prepared a formal
Olympic committee protest charg-
ing that selections were based on
personal preferences rather than
athletic merit.
Blames East
Mayor Porter blamed the 100000
U. S. Olympic budget shortage on
eastern apathy" and begged for in
dividual contributions of between |
$3.50 and $500 from public spirit
ed" Los Angeles citizens. Failure |
to raise this hundred thousand will !
result in Americas loss of the Olym-
pic championship, he said.
The Nurmi story is an old one and I
the final chapter will be known on /
Friday when Finland's appeal for
his reinstatement will be passed up
on.
Similarly, international amateur
athletic federation officials are eX-
pected to rule finally on the bid of
brilliant French mid
die distance runner, for restoration
to amateur graces.
Stella Walsh'S case may not even
be discussed. This great woman
athlete decided only few days ago
that she would not accept the U.
5. citizenship which she could have
had by signing her name to a s
document. Instead, unless compli- {
,ations arise, she will run in Po-
ish track suit (She lost her job l
With the New York Central railroad
at Cleveland. Poland gave her a {
governmental position)
Most mysterious is the matter of
Levi Casey of the Los Angeles Ath-
etic club. He apparently had quail
fled for the hop, step and jump
event on the U. S. team. But the {
American Olympic forces would not {
allow him to become a team mem
Der. Instead they chose Sol CHap-
oy) Furth of New York, whom
Casey had beaten in the final trials. !
No U. S. Olympic official has
said why the action was taken. The
switch, il was announced, was made {
for reasons besr known to him
self" meaning Casey.