Ugandan team not named yet

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33381, 13 November 1973, Page 1

Ugandan team not named yet

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, November 12. Asked today if the Government had any more information about the Ugandan Commonwealth Games team, the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Watt) said it had only the statement by the chairman of the Games Organising Committeee (Mr R. S. Scott) that the team -would be selected on a multiracial basis.

But as the team had not been chosen yet there was nothing for the Government to do or to decide at this stage, said Mr Watt

Mr Scott said last evening that on the information the Games Organising Committee had, it seemed likely that the Ugandan team would be picked on merit. He had a letter from the secretary of the Ugandan Commonwealth Games Association which said “quite emphatically” that the team would be so selected, Mr Scott said. The Ugandan Commonwealth Games Association existed only to pick teams for the Games, and was

among the bodies which had made the Commonwealth Games rules banning discrimination, he said. “So it would be absurd if the association ignored one of the rules it had made.” Mr Scott said that when the Prime Minister (Mr Kirk) had said he knew the composition of the Ugandan team for the Games, he | meant he knew the sports the j team was going to compete j in — athletics and boxing — and that the competitors were accordingly almost certain to be Africans. As far as individuals were concerned, he doubted if the team had been picked yet, Mr Scott said. Names did not have to be put forward until January 6.