Olympic Games

Press, 21 July 1976, Page 16

Olympic Games

Sir, — So the politicallycontrolled athletes of Africa’s freed nations have received their marching “ordias,” and are returning home. To the outside world it must be very confusing for black Africa to declare the Olympic Games black because the Olympic Committee would not impose a black ban on New Zealand because of an All Black tour. Members of H.A.R.T. and C.A.R.E. who have, no doubt, now been granted the status of honorary blacks, will now be very active in trying to keep the Springboks out of New Zealand, the Maoris out of South Africa and the New Zealanders out of the Commonwealth Games. But, despite their antics and semantics, how they are going to keep New Zealand out of the New Zealand Games confuses me a bit. — Yours, etc., G. M. EDMONDS. July 20, 1976. Sir, — Of all the controversy about the All Black tour and what has occurred at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. I can only say that perhaps all this unpleasantness might have been avoided if only the former had used their “union” and toured South Africa after the games. Their spirit and keenness in trying to do their best against apartheid has to be admired, but unfortunately it was ill-timed. They all apparently must live in a cocoon and what goes on around them and the rest of the world does not exist. Surely we all must realise by now that New Zealand has a great deal to offer to the rest of the world other than rugby, racing and beer. — Yours, E. MORRIS. July 19, 1976. Sir. — Since the change ef government in New Zea,

land, we have witnessed desperate attempts by H.A.R.T. and C.A.R.E. to stop the rugby tour of South Africa by the AU Blacks. When this failed, they resorted to sending letters to African nations misrepresenting New Zealand’s position on apartheid. We had a visit from Mr Ordia, who in a television interview refused to answer some questions on the grounds that they were political. With the boycott by the African nations at the Olympics, because of the rugby tour, it was with some trepidation that I awaited the New Zealand team’s reception at the opening ceremony. However, any doubts were soon dispelled by the spontaneous welcome accorded New Zealand, and I. for one felt proud to be a New Zealander. Surely this demonstration of warmth towards New Zealand reflects utter failure by H.A.R.T. and C.A.R.E. to portray New Zealand as a racist society. —Yours, etc., D. T. ARCHBOLD. July 20, 1976. Sir, — What sets New Zealand apart from the countries which have had sporting contacts with South Africa is the attitude of the Government. This Government has aided, abetted, and encouraged sporting contacts. It even had an election plank supporting contacts with South Africa. The only other countries in this position, Chile and El Salvador are hardly in the same class. They are not offering the whites the morale booster of a rugby tour. Lance Cross at last has provided a breakdown of his claim that many countries have sporting contacts with South Africa. Yet his data fails to stand up to analysis. Many of these events were not at international level involving schoolboy or provincial tours. Many involved minor sports—model boating or a pub darts team. Some are individuals. Some were in Rhodesia or Taiwan and some never occurred — wrestling to West Germany. — Yours, etc., G. DAVIDSON. Julv 20, 1976.