Thaw in African attitude?

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32352, 18 July 1970, Page 11

Thaw in African attitude?

(“IF all the society’ v worries, perhaps thi most agonising one has beei whether New Zealand woul< be accepted by the Africai Commonwealth countries ii view of the Dominion’; sporting association’s witl South Africa. The answer came when 1! African countries announces that they would not vote to Christchurch because of thi current All Black tour Although there are signs o: a thaw in this attitude i boycott is unlikely to den; Christchurch the vote to morrow. A total of 44 countriei are entitled to a vote at i federation meeting, but witl absentees, abstentions ant the likelihod of some beinj denied the right througl not being financial, les than 40 will probably havt a say.

Each country, regardless of size, has one vote and if the promised support, is forthcoming then Christchurch should gain the majority it requires on the first ballot The stand the African countries take if Christchurch does win might pose a threat to the 1974 Games being held on their usual scale, but this is a question which will undoubtedly be featured in many headlines over the next four years if Christchurch succeeds tomorrow. On the credit side, the society has had its moments of elation, not the least being the sympathetic hearing given it by the Government, the city council and other local bodies on the subject of finance. Hopes were raised last

MR K. S. DUNCAN—impressed by preparation.

year when Mr K. S. Duncan inspected Christchurch and its facilities on behalf of the federation and said that he considered the city better prepared to run a Commonwealth Games than any he bad ever previously visited. Another boost came about the same time when the Riccarton-Hornby Jaycees conducted a canvass in their area and found a two-to-one approval for Christchurch staging the Games in 1974. Since 1966 a number of cities'' have expressed interest in joining the race for 1974, with two Canadian cities standing out as most formidable rivals. However, with Montreal being selected for the 1976 Olympic Games this threat disappeared. The contest is now a twoway one between Christchurch and Melbourne, although there is an outside possibility that another city could come forward tomorrow if both Christchurch and Melbourne fail to find favour with the majority of voters. Melbourne has conducted its campaign on a very low key, with the city’s size and its facilities left over from the 1956 Olympics its main bargaining weapons. It might be hopeful of picking up the 12 African votes in the wind, but even this seems doubtful considering Australia’s sporting associations with South Africa. It is not generally the Australian way to give up without a fight, but it seems certain the New Zealand contingent will go into tomorrow’s meeting with the inside running. A major threat to Christchurch’s popularity could lie in some of the other items of business on the order paper. These include a number of resolutions concerning racialism in sport and one calling for the word “British” to be dropped from the federation’s title. New Zealand’s stand on these issues could well have an influence on uncommitted voters. If Christchurch wins the 1974 Games, the machinery is all ready to set in motion for the larger undertaking of running them. Each member of the Edinburgh delegation has assigned areas to study and on the way home visits will be made to possible countries where purchases may later have to be made. On the home front, Commonwealth Games Promotion will be wound up and in its place a new society formed. The executive of the new body will include most of the promotion executive, with additional people from all parts of New Zealand coming in. Once fully functional, the new body will have a fulltime secretariat, more than 20 committees and a work force of more than 200 people. The newcomers will include experienced Commonwealth Games officials, national admidistrators of each of the nine sports on the programme and repre- . sentatives of the New Zealand Olympic and British Commonwealth Games Association. If, on the other hand, Christchurch’s bid for 1974 should fail, then there will be much serious thought before an application for 1978 is made.

If Melbourne should get the nod then northern hemisphere countries are unlikely to want to visit the South Pacific again in 1978, especially in view of the costs involved, and although the dedication of the promotion society is beyond question, eight more years might be too long to wait. However, the most important consideration for 1978 will be which countries show interest Wales has already given notice of its intention to apply, but overriding this will be the fact that the Commonwealth Games have never been held in an African or an Aslan country and the first time one makes an application it will receive widespead support. Hong Kong, Singapore and Kenya have voiced some interest in 1978 and if Christchurch loses tomorrow and any one of these announces its intention to apply for 1978 then New Zealand might be well advised to withdraw gracefully. For a country, and more especially the city involved, the staging of a Commonwealth Games can bring with It many benefits. The obvious ones are a rare chance to see international competition on a major scale, the erection virtually overnight of facilities which ordinarily would take years to complete, a bonanza for the business community and a boost to the tourist industry. However, possibly even more important is the identity the country and the city gain, which lasts long after the Games are completed. The result of tomorrow’s vote will be known in New Zealand about mid-day on Monday and if it does turn out .to be Christchurch’s turn in 1974 then the officers and members of Commonwealth Games Promotion (New Zealand) will have had their efforts rewarded. However, It will be merely a battle won as they, along with the city and the rest of the country, prepare for the much larger action which lies ahead.