Tanzania Govt comments

Press, 13 July 1976, Page 12

Tanzania Govt comments

NZPA-Reuter Dar-es-Salaam i Tanzania's Governmentowned ‘‘Sunday News” said that it would be “proper” for an African boycott of the Olympic games to lead to their cancellation. The newspaper was commenting in an editorial on Tanzania’s decision not to take part in the Olympics because of sporting links between iNew Zealand and South Africa. In a reference to the possibility of other African States also withdrawing, the newspaper said: “If an African boycott can lead to cancellation of the Games that would be proper. Any course of action that serves the cause of freedom and justice is worth taking and Tanzania’s boycott of the Montreal Olympics is one such course.” The boycott means that the eagerly-awaited Olympic 1500 metre clash between the Tanzanian world record holder, Filbert Bayi, and the New Zealand world mile record-holder, John Walker, will not take place. In its editorial the “Sunday News” stated: “The spirit of the Olympics is one of brotherhood for all mankind, but when some of the participants also take part

in sports competitions in South Africa, the whole Olympic movement becomes a farce.” The newspaper said the boycott decision was not taken lightly but with deep regret because it meant denying the world the chance to see Bayi in action. It declared that the decision should be taken in the i spirit it deserved. “It is a bitter condemnation of the forces of oppression whose embodiment in the twentieth century is the South African regime. New Zealand is an ally of racist South Africa.” The “Sunday News” added that the New Zealand Government was well known for its insensitivity to African appeals to cut links with South Africa. It said the tour of South Africa by a New Zealand rugby team last month “showed how stone-hearted New Zealand is. The majority of people in South Africa were in deep mourning for the deaths of 1000 innocent people killed in the wake of the Soweto demonstrations.” The “Sunday News” declared “We Irelieve that taking part in the Games now would be conniving with the forces of injustice. Doing that is to condone racism in the Games whose message is chivalry, brotherhood and fair play.” 1