The Empire and the Games
The Empire and the Games is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle first published in The Times and Evening Standard on 18 july 1912.
Editions
- in The Times (18 july 1912 [UK])
- in Evening Standard (18 july 1912 [UK])
The Empire and the Games
TO THE EDITOR OF THE TIMES.
Sir, — We have four years in which to set our house in order before the Berlin Olympic Games. Might I suggest that the most pressing change of all is that we should send in a British Empire tease — instead of merely a British team ? The Americans very wisely and properly send Red Indians, negroes, and even a Hawaian amongst their representative. We, on the contrary, acquiesce in our white fellow subjects from the Colonies contending under separate headings. I am sure that if they were approached with tact they would willingly surrender the occasional local honours they may gain in order to form one united team in which Africans, Australians, and Canadians would do their share with men from the Mother Country under one flag and the same insignia. I would go further and see whether among Ceylon or Malay swimmers, Indian runners, and Sikh wrestlers we cannot find winners among the coloured races of the Empire. Such a movement would, I think, be of the highest political importance, for there could not be a finer object lesson of the unity of the Empire than such a team all striving for the victory of the same flag.
Yours sincerely,
ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.
Windlesham, Crowborough, Sussex. July 15.
