Two well-known athletes, Ladoum@sue and Sera Martin, "who agreed to join the French national team to 42 to Japan but remained at home, have got into serious trouble. "The French Athletic Fed-eri has suspended them for three months and will refuse them permission to compete abroad for tone year from September 10 last, the Federation being: convinced that their backsliding was due to money offers having been made to them. Three members of the Stade Francais, one of the most important clubs in the turned out of the a fourth has been sus months.
These penalties, which are cerly mot to severe, draw attention to the extent to which French amateur sport has been corrupted by money. As soon as a youngster comes into athletic prominence, he is sure to receive offers. whic if stecopted, torn him professional. The local federations are quite aware of this, but they are influenced by gate-money and take no action against athletes who are an attraction to the paying public. It is a common thing for a manufacturer or business. man who is an enthusiastic supporter of his club to give a promising young man a "cushy job" in his factory or office, the only condition being regular parti in the club's programme. Practices of this kind are common in Rugby football in the south of France, where local rivalry is extremely keen, and is not going too far to day that most of these clubs are amateur only in name. The State nevertheless continues to subsidise federa-and clubs because they are supposed to foster an athletic spirit, among the youth of the, country and assist in physical development, to the advantage of the a
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.