Red Shadow on the Slopes

The political controversy in connection with the World Ski Championship at Chamonix has provoked far more interest than the actual races. The championship had been given to Chamonix on the understanding that the French Government would give entry visas to all skiers whose national associations were members of the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS), and the necessary assurances were given. The situation was radically changed by the building of the notorious Wall in Berlin. The Allied governments, at last realizing that only a policy of uncompromising resistance offered any prospect of success, decided to grant no visas to East German deputations or athletic teams.

The President of the FIS, Dr. Marc Hodler, summoned a meeting of the FIS Council in Berne, which decided by a vote of eight to five that the races in Chamonix should be deprived of World Championship status. The Norwegians, Swedes and Austrians voted for this resolution mainly as a protest against what they regarded as political interference in sport. They were accordingly incensed, but should not have been surprised, to discover that their vote was promptly exploited for political propaganda and interpreted as a victory for Communism. Moreover, as their vote was intended to ensure that all countries be represented, they were displeased when all Communist teams were withdrawn from Chamonix.

SL

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Sir Arnold Lunn

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The political controversy in connection with the World Ski Championship at Chamonix has provoked far more interest than the actual races. The championship had been given to Chamonix on the understanding that the French Government would give entry visas to all skiers whose national associations were members of the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS), and the necessary assurances were given. The situation was radically changed by the building of the notorious Wall in Berlin. The Allied governments, at last realizing that only a policy of uncompromising resistance offered any prospect of success, decided to grant no visas to East German deputations or athletic teams.

The President of the FIS, Dr. Marc Hodler, summoned a meeting of the FIS Council in Berne, which decided by a vote of eight to five that the races in Chamonix should be deprived of World Championship status. The Norwegians, Swedes and Austrians voted for this resolution mainly as a protest against what they regarded as political interference in sport. They were accordingly incensed, but should not have been surprised, to discover that their vote was promptly exploited for political propaganda and interpreted as a victory for Communism. Moreover, as their vote was intended to ensure that all countries be represented, they were displeased when all Communist teams were withdrawn from Chamonix.