The officials were cheating too; holding up flags for the Soviet vaulter to judge the wind but not for Kozakiewicz. Paulen, as President of the IAAF, went down to the vaulting area and sat there to make sure that fair play was done to all.
Randall Northam
On 24 May 2004, at 18:23, Randy Treadway wrote:
re: Paulen being "almost executed" by the Germans in World War II
Politicians who did something meritorious four decades prior should be commended, but should not get a "free pass" for the rest of their life solely because of it with regard to their current ability to lead. The primary consideration for effective leadership should be "what have you done for me lately".
[yes, there is a parallel American message here- sorry, couldn't resist... :) ]
I personally don't think that Paulen had any particular favoritism toward Nordwig, and I doubt that he "had it in" for any particular nation or region.
I just think that he did not exhibit the leadership qualities which were needed in the 1970's in the areas of reform and progressive movement toward making Athletics a professional sport in all the best senses of the word.
He was a cog in the amateur sports bureaucracy which prevailed at the time and which were determined to mantain the sham status quo of amateurism, "Olympic movement", etc., at all costs, which really served to maintain the elitist top end of sports administration for many many years.
RT
