1974 GAMES Melbourne May Be Opposed

Press, Issue 32333, 26 June 1970, Page 15

1974 GAMES Melbourne May Be Opposed

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright)

LAGOS. African nations may oppose Melbourne’s bid to hold the 1974 Commonwealth Games. The 12 African members of the Commonwealth already have announced they will not support the candidacy of Christchurch because of New Zealand’s Rugby Union tour of South Africa.

The president of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (Mr Abraham Ordia) said that after reports of sporting contacts between Australia and South Africa of which he had not been aware, the African countries might not support either candidate.

He was speaking during a press conference with two members of Commonwealth Games Promotion (New Zealand), Mr R. S. Scott and Mr H. T. Dean. The conference turned virtually into a two-hour debate between Mr Scott and Mr Ordia over New Zealand’s attitude to sport in South Africa.

Mr Scott and Mr Dean are one of three two-man teams from the promotion body now on a world tour, canvassing support for Christchurch's bid. The venue will be decided at a meeting during the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games on July 19. Yesterday the delegation held discussions with Mr Ordia, who is also secretary of the Nigerian Olympic Association, and Sir Adetokunbo Ademola, the country’s Chief Justice, who is an International Olympic Committee member. Mr Scott said they had made the point that if the supreme council was discriminating against New Zealand because of the Rugby tour, it should also consider recent sport exchanges between South Africa and Australia.

He pointed to Australian swimmers competing in South Africa recently, and the South African women’s netball team touring Australia.

All-White Games Mi- Ordia said support was stronger for Melbourne because Australia did not take part in the 1969 all-white games in South Africa, as did New Zealand. Also Australian athletic officials said in March they would not allow Australian sportsmen to compete in South Africa in future. But Mr Ordia said that the report of recent exchanges might alter the matter.

“If the allegations made against Australia are true, my council may have to reconsider its stand, he said. “It may not support either candidate.” Mr Scott said he was not making allegations against Australia, but merely trying to put New Zealand’s point of view.

“I regret that Australia and New Zealand appear to be in opposition on this issue, because she is our closest friend,” he said. Mr Scott and Mr Ordia said they represented two opposite points of view on the question of apartheid in sport

The New Zealand delegate said his country sincerely believed that by keeping the door open, and the dialogue going, progress would be

I made. “By being able to jsent a multi-racial team to i South Africa.” he said, “we are halfway. We believe that is progress.” Mr Ordia said the only way to force South Africa to change its policies was to isolate it completely from all sport exchanges, and he described South Africa as a gangrenous leg that needed amputating. No Change

He said the African countries were not opposed to New Zealand, but only to South African policy. By supporting South Africa through sport exchanges New Zealand was spoiling its case. Mr Ordia said the discussions with Mr Scott and Mr Dean were useful, but added.

“We have not changed our view at all.” The two New Zealand delegates said they felt they had achieved more than they expected. “We have come to learn,” Mr Scott said. “We are here to inform, and our point of view has been listened to.”

The main points of Christchurch’s case for the games, they said, were the excellent facilities available, and that no games since 1950 had been in New Zealand, whereas the 1956 Olympics and 1962 Commonwealth Games were in Australia; The New Zealand delegates will visit Ghana and several other African countries before reaching Edinburgh for the start of the games on July 16.