The Washington times., 1932-07-30
F|NN'S DREAM
Of NEWFANE
SHATTERED
BY TED SHIFTS

Seventeen hundred athletes Of
the world gaily prepared today
for the games OF the Tenth
Olympiad-but one man walked
tragically alone, spectator in a
show in which he was to have
held the spotlight.
Paavo Nurmi, seven times an
Olympic champion, his dream of
glory broken when his entry was
rejected, solemnly shook the
hands of irate Finnish athletes
who must win the laurels that
we're to have fallen to his flying
feet,
Finland will not withdraw from
games. Instead it will seek to
monopolize the honorS.
Ban Anglers Firms
"Our men are angry at the
injustice done Nurmi, but the
angrier they are the faster
they rum" said Runnar Ohls,
Finnish attache.
The world has never known a
greater distance runner than
Nurmi. But irregularities in his
expense accounts during recent
meets N Germany led the COM
misSio2 of the International ANA
teur Athletic Association to raise
the bars against him.
His Olympic career began with
a 10000 meter victory at Ant
werp in 1920, swept to the heights
with four sensational triumphs
at Paris in 1924, continued in its
unapproachable brilliance with
two victors' wreaths at Amster-
dam IN 1928-and was to have
been concluded at Los Angeles
with a first place in the mara
thon run, sternest of all tests OF
mans strength, heart and sta
nina.
Rumors whirled about his head
as he fumed against the ruling
of his elders. Hugo Quist, who
promated Nurmis successful tour
of American tracks nearly a
decade ago, is in Los Angeles.
May Turn Pro
Conjecture was rife that Nurml
may turn professional and engage
Jules Ladoumegue under GUSTS
guidance in a new transforming
tour of the United States. La.
doumegue, peer of French run
ners. likewise is under ban.
Still another report would send
Nurmi to the starting line when
the marathon is called-to run
unofficially and put them all to
shame by winning, there being no
law against a hot footing it" for
more than 26 miles through the
streets of Los Angeles.
Their plea that the Finnish
Athletic Association can see no
wrong in Nurmi spurned, his
countrymen did not conceal their
wrath. S. j. Edstrom, president of
the I. A. A. F., firmly Squelched
l.. Miettinen, Finnish delegate,
who attempted to reopen the Muir
mi question before the congress
of the federation.
'It is all wrong" said Met
tinen, after the meeting. "They
said they had secret dOcu.
ments proving Nurmi'S guilt,
but they did not show them to
us. They offered us three
times the opportunity to with
draw Nurmi so the blood
would be on our heads. But
we stood firm. We will see
this thing through to the end"
The "Nurmi case" will come
up again when the federation
meets August 8.
Act Finally August 8
"By that time the council of
the federation will have re-
celved the entire matter and
passed on it. AS it now stands,
the commission, which ap-
proves or rejects all Olympic
athletes, has acted only on his
entry" said President EdstrOm.
The commission and the coun-
Gil are man for man identical.
So the question as to whether
or not Nurmi is a professional
subject still hanging fire-will
not be settled until all Olympic
track and field events have been
finished. and new and strange
names will have appeared on the
huge Olympic scoreboard in place
OF that familiar line: :" First
place, P. Nurmi, Finland"