1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

Strictly speaking, cycling does not really belong to the OlympicGames, and its right to a place on the programme is more thandoubtful. In our opinion, cycling ought not to be included in futureOlympic Games. It is a form of sport that thrives best by itself, and itshould have its own great international celebrations. Pure athleticswould then have more justice done to them, and would be of much greaterutility than at present. But if cycling races are to form a part ofthe Olympic Games, then track races should most certainly have theirplace on the programme. Cycle races are immensely popular, andare always sure to attract vast crowds of spectators, and to keepeveryone’s excitement at fever-heat — if “crawling” were, as it couldbe, successfully prevented. Everybody interested in cycling must, therewhenthe Stadium was built, it was notfore, deeply deplore that,considered necessary to construct a cycling track there too. TheStadium as a centre of Swedish athletic life, would certainly havebeen a gainer by it.Other forms of cycling sport, such as cycle-polo, or other ballgames in connection with cycling, and figure cycling especially, oughtnot to find a place on the Olympic programme; in the first place, becausetheir athletic value is very, very little, and secondly, and mostly, becausetheir inclusion would at last make it impossible to set a limitto the fertile crop of fantastic proposals that, year by year, is proposedto be garnered for use at coming Olympic Games.454