Mr Cross speaks out

Press, 19 July 1976, Page 1

Mr Cross speaks out

NZPA staff correspondent Montreal. The chairman of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, Mr C. L. S. Cross, had an audience of millions yesterday when he explained New Zealand’s position on international sport. He was interviewed by the American Broadcasting Company towards the end cf the network presentation of the Olympic opening ceremony. Asked to comment on a statement issued by the African nations that the New Zealand Government had subsidised the All Black tour of South Africa. Mr Cross said this was ridiculous. ‘The New Zealand Government has neither subsidised nor encouraged the New Zealand rugby team to tour South Africa,” he said. I can confirm the Government’s policy as enunciated by our Prime Minister when he said the Government opposes strenuously apartheid in sport

and discrimination in general. ‘‘However, the Government also respects the right of sports organisations, sportsmen, and sportswomen to play with whom, where, and when they like. This is in line with Article 13 of the Bill of Human Rights to allow any citizen to leave his country without Government approval.” Mr Cross has been giving this message steadily to fellow members of the 1.0. C., but his television appearance reached an audience which might have numbered billions. After the ceremony, he told the NZPA that he regarded the rousing reception the New Zealanders had received at the opening ceremony as a public expression of support. “I was delighted when the 1.0. C. voted overwhelmingly against the move to have New Zealand banned from the Games, but I was greatly saddened at the withdrawal by some of the African nations.

‘‘The athletes have been virtually compelled by their governments to withdraw,” Mr Cross said. “It is not in the spirit of the Olympic movement, and if the governments which gave the order had only seen the great spirit at the opening ceremony, they might have realised just what they have done. It is their own athletes who suffer.” Mr Cross and Lord Porritt earlier yesterday met members of the African group. The latter were led by the secretary of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa (Mr Jean-Claude Ganga) and Mr Dennis Brutus, president of the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee. The president of the Supreme Council (Mr Abraham Ordia) had already left Montreal.

The meeting took place in the public lobby of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, where security for the 1.0. C. meeting has been extremely close. Mr Cross was called at 6.30 a.m. by Mr Brutus and asked to

attend a meeting in 30 minutes at another midcity hotel; but after checking, he was advised by 1.0. C. security staff that the meeting should take place in his own hotel. At the meeting, Mr Cross was warned repeatedly that the responsibility would be his “if the Games are ruined by our withdrawal.” Mr Cross said the picture of the withdrawals of teams might not become clear for some days. There was still a hope that some teams which missed the opening ceremony might still compete, he said. “No-one will know for sure until competition starts and competitors fail to appear, and we take up the reasons for the nonappearance,” he said. “At that stage, I will call on the 1.0. C. to invoke the edict laid down in November last year that any country withdrawing from competition because of political reasons is liable to expulsion or suspension from the Olympic movement.”