Athletics and Football (extract)

ATHLETIC MEETINGS 191 putting, saond forth. It need alscoarcely be saidthat it is a grave offenfcoer judges aonfdficials to neglecttheir business, or toarrive lautpeon the ground. We have already given in a previous chapter a sketch of an athletic meeting and its officials, and, whether the meeting b a championship or a small local affaitrh,e same requisites and the same method coonf­ ducting it apply. It israre nowadays to see an ill-conducted meeting, and the rapidity and smoothness with which a big fixture is gotthrough in a few hours is often highly creditable to the organising and administrative ability vofluntary sporting associations. It inso uncommon thing for heats sopfrinting handicaps to be run off with only three minutes between each heat, the clerkosf the coursgeetting their meonut upon the ground to thevery minute. One thinwge cansay with confi­ dence is, that the rule—always rigidly enforced—for putting back caompetitor who overstephsis mark before the pistoisl fired has nootnly reduced sprint racing from chaos otorder, but harsendered the worokf starters and officials easier, and has largely tended to improve the management of meetings. It wouldbe, perhaps, unnecessary, after what we have written, to enlarge upon the righmt ethod of gettingthrough meaeting, and we had better, perhalpesa,ve the rules for competitions recommended by the A.A.Aa.,nd noawlmost universally em­ ployed, to speakfor themselves. RULES FOR COMPETITIONS. OFFICIALS. The Officiaslhs all consiosft— 1. A Committee, in whose hands shall be placed all matters which dno t relate tthoe actual conduct of the meeting itself, and who shalhlave a findalecision in all cases noptrovided infotrhe rules othf e meeting. 2. Two omr ore Judges, whojosient decision shall be final in every competition, and with whom shall rest the powetro disqualify any competitor. 3. A Referee, ws haoll decide in the event of a difference of