Loyal sports page readers learned to their surprise two days ago that Ireland's Ron Delany, the world's greatest indoor miler, was risking immediate suspension by withdrawing from tomorrow night's Cleveland K. of C. Track Meet. Delany's action, according to John McCarthy, persident of the meet, constituted "a flagrant breach of faith--the type which the A.A.U. cannot countenance without taking strong action."

McCarthy held that because Delany had signed an entry blank he was under obligation to appear. Cleveland officials declared that Delany's "breach of contract" would place him under automatic suspension. Delany defended his withdrawal, saying that he had acted "in good faith." A Shakespeare major in Villanova's graduate school, he gave the pressure of his work as the reason for his action.

All in all, the affair shapes up as still another indication of the inability of high-ranking track officials to cope with unusual situations or to acquit themselves properly in the public eye. If the A.A.U. suspends Delany, its decision must be regarded as the epitome of fatuousness and misguided puritanism.

In an indoor season marked by record-shattering performances almost every weekend Delany has been outstanding. The thrills he has given the thousands who have had the opportunity to see him run and to the millions who have read of his exploits would alone argue strongly against any disciplinary action.

No one who saw his come-from-behind victory in the Boston K. of C. Meet or his duel with England's Brian Hewson in the B.A.A. Games came away unhappy. And, on March 7, he produced one of the greatest efforts in track history by catching Hungarian Istvan Rozsavolgyi after all seemed lost, winning in a new world record time of 4:01.4.

Delany has given peak performances every week. After a long season of running, he should not have to produce any excuse for withdrawing. Besides, he is an amateur, by any definition of the word an amateur cannot be required to compete against his will.

Perhaps most important, the A.A.U. is scaling the heights of hypocrisy by asking a student to forsake his work for an athletic appearance. Track meets often abound in 28-year-old freshmen and other curiosities who are college men in name only. Foreign athletes are present in increasing quantity, ostensibly students at some American institution but rarely much more than subsidized performers.

Delany, although admittedly attracted to America because of its athletic opportunity, is nonetheless a serious scholar. A highly intelligent, sensitive man, he is the opposite of the typical big-time athlete. Even without his magnificent athletic prowess, he could stay at Villanova solely on the strength of his academic attributes. It is against the basic concept of amateurism to slight education for the sake of sport. Ron Delany's greatness should not be turned against him.