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''The Olympic Games'' is a letter written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[The Times]] on 27 august 1913.

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== The Olympic Games ==
[[File:The-Times-1913-08-27-the-olympic-games.jpg|200px|right|thumb|[[The Times]] (27 august 1913)]]

'''SIR A. CONAN DOYLE'S REPLY.'''

TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.

Sir, — I have read with great interest Mr. Frederic Harrison's
letter upon the Olympic Games. In common with all the world, I
have the utmost respect for Mr. Harrison's character and
opinions, but I have hopes that there are some aspects of this
matter which have escaped his attention or upon which he has
been incompletely informed.

In the first place, it is admitted by the Appeal Committee that a
hundred thousand pounds is a very large sum, but it is clearly
stated that only a portion of it should be allocated to the Olympic
Games, and that the fund shall be a nucleus for some such system
of universal physical education as would be entirely outside the
strictures which Mr. Harrison makes. Such a scheme, with its
necessary provision of gymnasia and playing fields for the poor,
must, I am sure, have his approval. It is impossible at this early
stage to give exact figures, but certainly a good proportion of the
fund would be spent in such a fashion.

Let us now come down to the balance which is expended upon
the preparation for the Games themselves. Mr. Harrison implies
in his letter that the British team would number about a hundred.
Three times this estimate would be nearer the mark. He must
remember that besides the single events there are many team
competitions, football, gymnastics, physical exercises, hockey,
rifle and clay-pigeon shooting, rowing, &c. If we make a full entry
we must be prepared to look after at least 300 men. Mr. Harrison
would admit that these men, who represent their country, should
not have the burden of their expenses laid upon their own
shoulders. They have to be conveyed to Berlin and back, and they
have to be comfortably housed and carefully fed at a time of
inflated prices. The sum will not be less than seven or eight
thousand pounds for this item alone. How does Mr. Harrison
propose to raise this, save by national appeal? Can he suggest any
other course?

Mr. Harrison in discussing the general question of preparation
for the Games draws a dismal picture of "an army of professional
coaches" over-running the country, and of the likely youths being
drafted away and maintained by the nation during the long period
of training and preparation. I am convinced that those who have
the management of the Games in hand would reprobate such a
programme as heartily as Mr. Harrison does, and that all his fears
upon this head will prove to be baseless. The army of coaches does
not and never will exist. The new developments will take the form
of providing practice grounds where none now exist (in all London
how many places are there where a man could practise throwing a
hammer?), in providing places for winter practice, in providing
the impedimenta of sport for those who cannot procure them, and,
finally, in encouraging every form of sport to adapt its conditions
or distances to those which obtain at the Olympic Games. This
can only be done by offering special medals or prizes to be
competed for at those distances. It may seem that no great expense
is involved in these developments. Perhaps not in any single case.
But the Olympic Fund will have to meet demands from every part
of Great Britain and Ireland, each legitimate in itself, and together
making up a considerable sum.

Let us for a moment trace the evolution of that novice
concerning whom Mr. Harrison has such misgivings. He is
probably unearthed at one of the special novices competitions
which give him a chance where he will not be overshadowed by
some crack. He would then be watched and reported upon by the
officials of his amateur body, which must be affiliated to the
Amateur Athletic Association of his country. If he continued to
make good he would probably be inspected and advised by the
professional coach of his district - one, perhaps, of half a dozen in
the country. He would advise the youngster as to form, precisely as
an amateur cricketer has always been advised by a professional. If
he continued to make progress and made good his claim to
represent the country in an Olympic event he would train at the
last, as a 'Varsity Blue trains for the boat race, and he would have
the advice of the best professional that could be found. At no time
save perhaps for the final week would his ordinary work in the
world be interfered with, and at no time at all could any direct or
indirect remuneration be given to him. What is there in all this
which can justify Mr. Frederic Harrison in his lurid picture of
athletic degeneration?

If Mr. Harrison's contention was that we should never have
gone in for the Olympic Games at all, he might find many to agree
with him. But, things being as they are, I would ask him to
consider the courses open to us. One is to retire in the face of defeat
and to leave the Colonies to put the Union Jack at the top when
they can. As a good sportsman I am sure Mr. Frederic Harrison
could not tolerate that. A second is to continue with our present
haphazard half-hearted methods, and to see ourselves sink lower
and lower from that third place which we now occupy. Surely that
would not satisfy Mr. Harrison. There only remains one other
course of action, and that is to do the thing thoroughly and well, to
find out what talent we have, and to bring it to the scratch in the
best possible condition. If Mr. Harrison will look at the names of
those who have the matter in hand he will, I am sure, admit that
they are very capable of devising means to this end, and that such
money as is required will be spent wisely and in a manner which
will be consistent with the best amateur traditions of this country.
What our representatives could do when unaided by adequate
national support was shown last year in Stockholm. Surely Mr.
Harrison would not wish to see it repeated at Berlin. Can he devise
any method to prevent such a misfortune save systematic and
painstaking preparation, which in the end must mean money?

Yours faithfully,

ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.<br />
Frinton, Aug. 26.

== See also ==

* [[Our Olympic Failure]] (22 july 1912, [[Evening Standard]])
* [[The Olympic Games (30 july 1912)|The Olympic Games]] (30 july 1912, [[The Times]])
* [[Britain and the Olympic Games (2 august 1912)|Britain and the Olympic Games]] (2 august 1912, [[The Times]])
* [[Britain and the Olympic Games (8 august 1912)|Britain and the Olympic Games]] (8 august 1912, [[The Times]])
* [[The Olympic Games (22 march 1913)|The Olympic Games]] (22 march 1913, [[The Saturday Review]])
* [[Olympic Committee]] (25 march 1913, [[Sporting Life]])
* [[Olympic Games Lethargy]] (24 may 1913, [[Daily Express]])
* [[The Olympic Games Fund (13 september 1913)|The Olympic Games Fund]] (13 september 1913, [[The Times]])
* [[The Olympic Games Fund (11 october 1913)|The Olympic Games Fund]] (11 october 1913, [[The Times]])
* [[Some Views on the Olympic Talent Fund]] (Christmas 1913, [[Stock Exchange Christmas Annual]])
* Preface of [[The Evolution of the Olympic Games 1829 B.C-1914 A.D.]], by F.A.M. Webster (may 1914, [[Heath, Cranton & Ouseley Ltd.]])

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* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

The Olympic Games (27 august 1913) - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 15:38, 19 August 2016