Games’ ideals
in tune with
humanity...

A tear of regret rolled down from Misha’s eye, a
lovely touch to end the 22nd Olympiad.

The traditional gesture of sadness that marks
the finale to each Olympic Games, combined with
the call to athletes of the world to convene in
another four years, closed the Moscow Games
August 3 in a spectacular ceremony befitting the
host nation.

It was a marvelous Olympics, not only for its
warmth and beauty, its organizational expertise
and 74 Olympic and 36 world records set, but
because it was held in the teeth of an un-
precedented effort to smash it.

We've all had “boycott” coming out our ears. As
the anger rose each day we were denied Games
coverage, it became clear Canadians paid one hell
ofa price fora U.S. election campaign. As millions
around the world sat glued to their TV sets, we

were offered snippets of information heavily */

laced with editorial comment.

While the world citizen read extensive news
about the Games over breakfast, we got sparce
facts coupled with so-called political reporting. It
sure was driven home that we were losers.

There could just be an important lesson here —
that the world does not revolve around this con-
tinent. No longer does the mighty USA call the
shots. Gone are the days when the White House
whistles and humanity jumps.

The Games were staged — and staged with class
and imagination. Certainly, the absence of several
nations was noticed; it would have been an even
better Olympics had everyone competed. It would
have benefitted everyone (except, perhaps
Washington) had thousands of Americans visited
Moscow and learned for themselves what the
Soviet people are like. The same holds true for
Canada.

But sports records are stubborn things. The
world and Olympic records set in Moscow will
have to be matched and beaten and no amount of
sour grapes journalism can erase this fact. The
USSR and GDR stood first and second and that’s
not because the USA was absent — Soviet and
GDR teams stood first and second in Montreal
(and Lake Placid). The only change now is that
Bulgaria, not the United States, placed third.

And what of Canada? We placed 27th in
Montreal and didn’t go to Moscow. What about
our boycott? Who suffered?

Where are the voices of that grubby little group
of people who form the Cabinet which kept this
country out of the Games? What have they to say
about this country’s soiled international reputa-
tion, about the news blackout imposed on us?
Even Jimmy Carter conducted a sham ceremony
and gave U.S. Olympic athletes consolation prize
medals.

This government grovelled to the U.S. and,
having made sure everyone knew who really calls
the shots on Parliament Hill, promptly forgot its
athletes and sports fans. There’s something espe-
cially degrading about being a puppet.

But the Olympics survived, they grew and
prospered. The ideals upon which the modern
Games are based were brought into sharp relief
because of the narrow attack which was defeated.

Peace, athletic competition, friendship are
stronger than the backwardness which launched
the attack on the Moscow Games. They are far
stronger than Liberal and Tory politics or Carter’s
election ambitions because they are humanistic
ideals which are in tune with the majority of the
world’s people.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—AUGUST 15, 1960—Page 4

&

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By BRUCE YORKE

MOSCOW — The 22nd Olym-
pics ended last Sunday with yet
another brilliant cultural master-
piece, the closing ceremonies.
There was many a tear in.the eyes
of the 103,000 who crowded the
Lenin Stadium, when the flame
was extinguished for another four
years, and a 25-ft. balloon of
Misha the bear mascott, ascended
into the war Moscow night.

The exciting promises that
were so brilliantly displayed on
opening day had been realized
day after day, night after night.
The true spirit of sportsmanship
had prevailed from beginning to
end.

It was a sad occasion, as are all
partings, but it was sweetened by
the knowledge that the spirit of
the Games glows even more than
it did before the Games began.

Each time the flame is slowly
extinguished in the bowl of the
particular stadium, a new stage of
the Olympic road begins, a road
along which the peoples have
been travelling for 84 years. And
each time, on looking back,
people have seen that the Olym-
pic Games which have just closed
have moved them forward, at
least-a little way, along the road of
mutual understanding and peace.

The Moscow Olympics were
no exception. For two weeks
young men and women displayed
their talents and skills in peaceful
competition. Two hundred and
three sets of medals were won.
Thirty six new world records
were set and 74 Olympic ones.
Some won more often than
others. Some “‘lost’’.

Sports are sports, and some
participants will go home en-
couraged by success while others
will be upset by their failures. But
both will take with them the joy of
the great sports festival in which
they participated; the joy of meet-

ing old and new friends, and firm

EYEWITNESS REPORT

conviction that people should
compete in sports arenas and not
on the battlefield.

““O Sport Thou Art Peace’? —
these words by Pierre de Couber-
tain continue to reflect the true
spirit of the Olympic movement
which has successfully held out
against the winds of history.

Yes, despite every attempt by
the hostile media to downgrade
these magnificent games, the
Moscow Olympics wereasuccess.
Gradually as time passes this fact
will be universally recognized. All
those associated with the Games
will be honored, while those who
promoted the partial boycott. will
come to regret their actions.

The standards of these Games,
in all respects — records, techni-
cal improvements, culture, have
never before been matched, and
Los Angeles will have to go all out
to put on such a brilliant display.

It was Lord Killanin, in his im-
promptu speech at the closing
ceremonies who spoke for all
when he summed up what we
were all thinking: ‘‘Sportsmen

unite in peace before a holocaust .

descends. Sports must not be
used for political means when
other things have not been tried.
The Olympic Games are for the
benefit of our children. We must
unite in friendship and let us love
our neighbors. I only grieve for
those who were not able to par-
ticipate’.

Every word of this speech was
spoken from the heart, and it was
greeted with thunderous applause
from the vast throng in Lenin
Stadium.

The Moscow Olympics had
several distinguishing positive
features. First and foremost they
reflected the growing im-
provement in the performances of
athletes from socialist lands. This
was demonstrated by the fact that
36 world records. were broken,
more than in Montreal, when all

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man’s athletic achievements is Cc
developing apace. ‘a
Some astute athletic reporters he
are privately saying that the so- I
called ‘‘West’’ must pick up its la
athletic socks pretty soon, orelse ™
the 1984 Games in Los Angeles * |
will continue to see the domi- ©
nance of the athletes from the ™
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those from the USSR and the ©
GDR.
I had the opportunity to get ac-
quainted first hand with the all-in-
Clusive sports program in the —
Soviet Union. I -visited the
facilities used every day by the
workers of the Lenin Komsomol
Auto plant. They were very
extensive and met high Olympic
standards. When we were told
that approximately one third of