V 10 N. 24 A Letter from an Impassioned Track Fan

Geoff Williams on the right with George Brose and John Cobley

Geoff Williams, a colleague and friend in Victoria, BC, sent me the following letter this morning.
I think it more than sums up many of our feelings about all that is going on and how it has affected our sport.  Interestingly Geoff had to write this statement a second time, because his first letter got 'lost in cyberspace'.   As I'm sure you are aware, that is not an easy thing to do, to re-create your sentiments and feelings a second time in a row.  I read once that Ernest Hemingway's first wife in packing their household for a move in Paris, lost his manuscript to a novel.  It was never found and understandably never re-created.  It may also have been the tipping point to ending that relationship. Geoff, I'm not implying that is the case here.  I just want people to look through the contents of all the boxes they see at an estate sale.  That unpublished Hemingway novel may still by lying around somewhere.  Here is Geoff's second go at a worthy subject.


 George,
I am sorry I made a mess of trying to send a comment on the Olympics cancellation thing.  I felt quite impassioned by the whole affair and so will try to give it another shot by straight email.  At my age I cannot even remember my own name, so I may miss some points.  If you think it worth while you are welcome to share it with our wider audience.

”The news about the cancellation of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games hit home with me.  Like most of us this has been part of the overall sporting scene for all or most of our lives.  I am old enough to have been alive during the 1940 and 1944 cancellations due to the Second World War although as I was only 10 by the time of the latter one I did not pay much attention.  I was too busy with watching dogfights over London and then a few years later the arrival of the dreaded V1-the Buzzbomb.  By 1948 when London manfully staged the Austerity Games with the support of the USA and much of the (then)   British Empire I was much more interested in such things and followed what I could on the radio and in the newspapers.  I think it was that era which sparked my interest in Track and I have followed nearly all of the ensuing Games with varying levels of fervour.  Much to my great regret I have never actually attended an Olympic Games and now clearly will never do so.

I am not too sorry about that as the Games are so different from the original ideals set down by de Coubertin and generally ( except 1936) followed by everyone until around 1960 when things started to change.  The quality of the Games was not in doubt and TV made it so much easier and enjoyable to follow.  Soon after most of the worlds sports were beginning to hold their own World Championships  and the relevance of the OG is being put into question.  The IOC is its own worst enemy and greed and avarice are top of their agenda,  They appear not to pay too much attention to the needs and safety of the athletes ( their indentured servants) and the fans so long as those lovely dollars keep rolling in.  The delay in making a formal decision to cancel or postpone the 2020 Games was delayed far too long and only came about now because of Canada’s firm stand.  I will miss watching the great performances on the Track but there is always the lingering doubt as to drug use and that will likely be with us forever.  The on again off again handling of the Russia case is a further black mark against the ruling elite of the sport .

I feel very sorry for the athletes, many of whom have given up many years of their young lives to be able to achieve the dream of Olympic participation. While I am merely ( or was) a recreational athlete I have known a few Olympic participants in varying degrees and have a good idea of what they went through for in most cases little or no material reward.  Also I feel for the fans who have been waiting for four years or more to visit Tokyo and enjoy the Games.  I understand that they can expect no recompense for the large dollars they have shelled out because the Swiss gnomes made sure that the fine print in the Olympic charter covered that little matter.  This is not to take into account the numerous coaches and support teams that are needed to put on such an affair.

I am led to start thinking that we should have seen the last of the Olympic Games and that the obscene amounts of cash that they consume particularly in the light of the “New World” that we will inevitably be facing after the Corona Virus finally fades from sight-if it ever does.

I know we shall emerge from this crisis as better people but there will be a lot of tough decisions to be made, and it would interesting to know the opinions of those who have been involved in Track at all levels as to whether I am making any sense.”