Speculation rife at Games city

Press, 8 July 1976, Page 1

Speculation rife at Games city

. PA ’ Montreal Before the world’s two top metric milers, John Walker, and Filbert Bayi, meet in the glamour event of the Montreal Games a political decision faces the Intei-national Olympic Committee. Will the Black African nations’ threat to boycott New Zealand athletes prevail — and exclude Bayi — or will the 1.0. C. act on a call to ban New Zealand from the Olympics and thus deny Walker his chance of an Olympic gold medal? As yet the 1.0. C. has nothing before it on the issue, nor has the chairman of the New Zealand Olympic Association and a member of the 1.0. C., Mr Lance Cross, received any of the reported resolutions by the Organisation of African Unity and the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa. “This is purely a political matter,” Mr Cross said in Montreal yesterday. “I said ■when the 1.0. C. acted against Rhodesia in 1972 that that was a political decision which should not have been made. "I say it again now. Sport is sport, politics is politics and the two don’t mix. "We believe we have no case to answer.” Mr Cross recalled that New Zealand survived a move in 1970 by the African nations to ban it from the Commonwealth Games, over an issue of participation in sport with South Africa. “I would have thought that if the African countries want to take action against us with the 1.0. C., they would have communi) cated with me as chairman of the New Zealand Olym-

pic Association. But I have had nothing from them in any shape or form. Nor had Lord Killanin when I spoke to him yesterday.

“All I know about their resolutions is what I have read in the press.” However, Mr Cross had word from the New Zealand representative in Ottawa, Mr Jack Shepherd, that the well-publicised resolution by the O.A.U. Foreign Ministers had been received there from London.

This resolution, passed on July 3, calls for the banning of New Zealand from “future Olympics” because of its sporting association with South Africa. Mr Cross said that since his arrival in Montreal the issue of Taiwan’s status—whether it defies Canada’s ban and competes as the Republic of China — had taken precedence over the threatened ban against New Zealand. Lord Killanin made no mention of the New Zea land case when he discussed the Taiwan problem during a press conference on his arrival in Montreal on Tuesday. The organisers of the Montreal Games are nevertheless taking the threat seriously and Mr Cross and other members of the 1.0. C. have been under close security at their hotel. Several Canadian Conservative members of Parliament are advocating the death penalty for terrorism. They say the recent hijacking is the type of hos-tage-taking crime which may be committed during the Games. From yesterday all callers at the vast Queen Elizabeth Hotel have been put through security checks and Mr Cross’s telephone calls have been screened since his arrival. Mr Cross has made a full report on the issue to Lord Killanin and expects to have discussions with him

before the vital 1.0. C. meeting in Montreal on July 13.