Sports policy ‘works’

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34048, 12 January 1976, Page 14

Sports policy ‘works’

(N.Z. Press Assoctation >

AUCKLAND, Jan. 11. For New Zealand to continue communications with South Africa was not a deliberate slap in the face to the Third World, the chairman of the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association (Mr C. L. S. Cross) said tonight.

He was commenting on a statement by the president of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (Mr Abraham Ordia) who called for a world boycott of the softball championships in Wellington later this month. Mr Ordia called for the; boycott to protest against New Zealand’s invitation to! South Africa to attend the; (Championships. j However, Mr Cross, who is (also a member of the InterI national Olympic Committee. ;said there was definite proof ’ that communications with South Africa had been responsible for quite a lot of progress in multi-racial sport in that country. “New Zealand, and New Zealanders generally, are no more in favour of apartheid in sport than the Supreme Council of Sport in Africa is, but we consider that ostracism is not the way to overcome the problem,” he said. I An example of progress l made through continued' communication had been the: New Zealand Rugby Football: Union and the public saying there would be no All Black tour there unless Maoris: could be included in the; team.

The tour had been the first time Coloured people had taken part in international sport with whites in South Africa.

Mexico and the Philippines have withdrawn from the softball contest because of South Africa’s involvement. Teams from the United States. Canada. Japan, Guam and Taiwan, as well as South Africa, are expected to compete against New Zealand. The tournament will open at the Lower Hutt recreation ground on January 31 and continue until February 8. Argentina and the Bahamas are listed as competitors in tournament advertising, but are not expected to attend.

Administrators of the New! Zealand Softball Association,) which issued the invitation to; South Africa on behalf of the!

[lnternational Softball Federation. have said repeatedly there is no question of its I invitation being withdrawn.