But what about the athletes themselves and the athletic clubs they belong to? Are they in favour? Since nobody seems to know, we wrote a number of letters to various individuals and organisations throughout the world, asking for their opinion. Here are some of the replies:
Dear Sirs,
Jolly decent of you to write and ask for our opinion on Greece as a permanent site for the Olympic Games. Mind you, we’re not too keen on the retsina and it does get bloody hot in July and August, which means the Africans will be running circles round our own chaps, but if you must have the Olympics in foreign parts, I suppose Greece is as good a place as any. Any chances of making fox-hunting an Olympic event?
Yours faithfully, Brigadier J.C.M. Foulkes-Smythe, D.S.O., M.C. (ret.) Chairman Royal Society for the Protection of Blood Sports
Gentlemen,
I have the honour to accuse reception of your favour of the 12th instant.
Our Confederation has considered your request and takes great pleasure in assuring you that very careful consideration has been given to the matter under, heading. The glorious history of your country certainly entitles it to the great privilege of becoming a permanent site for the Olympique Games but we are of the opinion that the equally glorious history of our own country and the dedication of its vibrant youth to “les sports” and the Olympique ideal prejudges equal consideration for “la belle France” as a permanent site for the Games. Also, the food is much better.
Please agree, gentlemen, to the assurance of our most distinguished compliments.
Henri Petit-point
President Confederation Sportive et Gastronomique de France
Greetings,
Please forgive my handwriting but I am having with my left hand to write since last week my coach knocked me down and on my right hand stepped with his jackboot when the 200-metre dash within the prescribed time of 23 seconds I failed to accomplish.
Frankly I do not care where the Olympic Games are held as long as to compete I am able and the promised apartment if I win is to me awarded.
However, since possible it is that I may not win, would you please let me know concerning political asylum the Greek regulations.
I must now close as at the Polyklinik I am awaited for my daily injection and depilatory treatment.
Sincerely,
Use Gotterdammerung
Leipzig, East Germany
P.S. Please reply care of my sister in West Berlin at the enclosed address.
Gentlemen,
I sure appreciated your letter. At the moment, I don’t rightly know what’s going to happen with all this hassle over the Moscow Games. But, man, I was with the U.S. swimming team in Mexico City, Munich and Montreal and I know the score. When I say I was with the team I don’t mean I was actually competing. Don’t get me wrong on that. No, I was just the guy who made sure the boys took a shower before entering the pool. But I was close to them, mind you. They’d talk to me like a brother. And I can tell you they didn’t like Mexico City at all. If it wasn’t the altitude it was the hot tamales and if it wasn’t the student riots it was the chili con carne. They were all wrecks when we came home. And as for Munich, oh boy! I got my ole six-shooters out and laid them on the edge of the pool. “First Palestinian terrorist to show his ass in here without taking a shower gets it right between the eyes,” I said. That kept them out of our hair.
I don’t know much about Greece except I think it was a hit movie by John Travolta, but if I’m still around in 1988 you can betcha life I’ll be there with the good ole U.S. swimming team, making sure no one gets into the pool without taking a shower.
Yours truly,
Leroy “Tex” Hodgkinson
Dallas, Texas
Dear Sirs,
Thank you very much for your letter. My organisation was particularly interested to hear about the possibility that Greece might become a permanent site for future Olympiads. We sincerely beg you to consider the appointment of the Maccabee Clubs as exclusive sales agents for tickets in Israel. The enclosed brochure contains a full description of our qualifications and sales outlets.
We are also enclosing a letter from the firm of Abraham Menachem and Sons, Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, with a tender for minting commemorative medals and coins and another letter from the Ezra Menachem Sports Supply Co. which is self-explanatory.
Finally, we are enclosing a third letter from Menachem Tours inquiring about block bookings at Greek hotels for an estimated 20,000 Israeli visitors to the 1988 Games.
Your attention and prompt reply to these communications will be greatly appreciated.
Yours truly, Mordecai Menachem, President Maccabee Sports Clubs of Israel
Dear Sirs,
You Greeks are really the limit. You want the whole of Cyprus, all the air space over the Aegean and all the oil under it. Now you want to monopolise the Olympic Games. You want my opinion? Well, here it is. I don’t give a devalued kurus for the idea and if it is ever adopted I shall give up my career as a champion weight-lifter and go back to toting bales of goat-hides on the docks at Iskanderun.
Yours disgustedly,
Ekmek Buyurdi Ankara, Turkey
