1912 Olympic Games Official Report Part 2

that, in the opinion of the Committee, none of the ascents which have beenproposed for the prize, and the merits of which could, according to the stipulationsof the competition, be taken into consideration, is of that exceptional importancewhich one has the right, as well as the duty, to demand for the award of an OlympicGold Medal;that the Committee is strongly of the opinion that there exists no satisfactory commonbasis for a comparison between different ascents, and that, consequently, ajust award is impossible.The reasons on which the Committee bases this opinion are:1. The frequent use of paid, professional guides in mountaineering, which makesit inevitable that the jury will run the risk of rewarding amateurs for what,in reality, is due to professionals, while it also makes it impossible to compareascents carried out with, and without, assistance received from such guides.2. The impossibility of comparing ascents of different character, such as, for instance, a Dolomite rock-climb, a snow- and ice-climb in the Oberland, and anascent in the Himalayas.3. The impossibility of judging the conditions of weather and snow existing atthe time of the ascent, factors which are of vital importance on every occasion.4. The impossibility of correctly estimating the degree of safety with which anascent has been made, it being evident that the sporting value of a climb mustbe considered very much diminished if the climber has exposed himself todangers that could have been lessened, or altogether avoided, by better judgmentand greater skill.5. The fact that the jury’s chief knowledge of an ascent must be obtained fromthe account given by the climber, i. e. the competitor himself.On these grounds the Committee begs to propose:that the Olympic Gold Medal for “the finest performance in mountain ascentsduring the years 1908—1911” shall not be awarded, andthat the Swedish Olympic Committee should propose that, for the future, thiscompetition shall not form part of the programme of the Olympic Games.For THE COMMITTEE FOR MOUNTAIN ASCENTSErik Ullén.On July 2 the Swedish Olympic Committee decided that the prizefor mountain ascents should not be awarded.It is, for obvious reasons, only the possibility of awarding the prizethat is discussed in this memorandum, but it is evident that theawarding of such a prize, even if it were possible, would be anythingbut desirable. The hope of accomplishing an ascent that has beenconsidered impossible, is a strong temptation for the young and ambitiousmountaineer to expose himself to unwarrantable risks, and agood many fatal accidents can, undoubtedly be ascribed to this cause.How much stronger would not the temptation be to overstep thelimits between the justifiable and the unjustifiable, if there also existedthe possibility of gaining an Olympic medal, with the glory it entailsboth for the winner and for his country? There is no doubt butthat an Olympic mountaineering prize would lead to the loss of manyhuman lives.There is still another side of the question that must not be overlooked.51 Fifth Olympiad. 801