War has made new sporting history. For the first time the Olympic Games - at which Ireland was to compete - have been changed from one country to another, and then cancelled indefinitely.
First it was Japan's turn to stage the games, but owing to the Japanese-Chinese "incident" the venue was transferred from Tokyo to Helsinki - a most unhappy choice.
Up to a couple of weeks ago, despite the European war and the "strain" between Finland and Russia, it was still hoped that before 1940, when the Games were listed to take place peace would have reigned. But the ruthless bombing of Helsinki immediately resulted in Count de Baillet-Latour, the President of the International Olympic Committee, officially calling off the Games indefinitely.
Finland, which is a very sport-minded nation, proposed - to judge from the voluminous literature and publicity I have seen - to stage the Olympiad in a big way. A mammoth stadium had been built, and in every way the 1940 event promised to be one of the best yet.
Finland excels at all forms of sport, but probably her fame has been spread most by the feats of her runners. In Paova Nurmi she has produced one of the greatest distance runners of all time. This Finnish "star" is now an officer in the army.
The Irish Times, December 7th, 1939.