19th Hole: The Readers Take Over

MR. BRUNDAGE ON CHINA
Sirs:
As a sports magazine you will surely not hesitate to follow your own prescription from SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (EVENTS & DISCOVERIES, Aug. 3): "As Confucius say, 'A man who has committed a mistake and does not correct it is committing another mistake.' "

From SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (EVENTS & DISCOVERIES, July 6): "In the weeks since we first reported and commented here on the IOC's self-styled 'nonpolitical' decision to outlaw Nationalist China and declare Mao Tse-tung's China the legal overlords of all Chinese athletes ( SI, June 8, et seq.), that decision and Brundage's defense of it have earned the condemnation of"—etc., etc.

This statement includes several mistakes:

1) The IOC never "outlawed Nationalist China."

2) The IOC never "declared Mao Tse-tung's China the legal overlords of all Chinese athletes."

3) Brundage never defended these actions because they never occurred.

4) The condemnation was of something that was never done.

The IOC action was based on the fact that the Olympic Committee in Taiwan called itself " Chinese National Olympic Committee" and was listed under the heading " CHINA," thus implying that it controlled sport in all of China. As requested by the IOC, it has now changed and adopted the name by which its country is generally known and it admits that it does not pretend to control sport in China.
AVERY BRUNDAGE
Chicago

?We remain glad that Mr. Brundage, after a period of soul-searching, decided to support the re-entry of the Nationalist Chinese under the name of Republic of China. The name China is precious to the Nationalist Chinese—among other things as the name under which they retain permanent membership in the U.N.'s Security Council. The "advice" to reapply as Formosa or Taiwan amounted to a conscious or unconscious intervention by the International Olympic Committee in international politics. We trust that Mr. Brundage will be able to persuade the rest of the IOC to accept the Republic of China at their meeting in February 1960.—ED.

CHESS: SEND BOBBY TO YUGOSLAVIA
Sirs:
I am wondering if there is anything you could do to let people know about the situation of my 16-year-old son Bobby Fischer, the U.S. chess champion. Although he is the official U.S. representative to the Candidates Tournament, to be held in Yugoslavia Sept. 6 to Oct. 31, he has not yet been provided with any funds at all to cover his expenses. He has already poured his own prize winnings, and my money, into essential preparations for this tournament. With another $2,000, half for his expense, half to pay for a second, Bobby could be sure of being able to take part in this event.