Plea to Tanzania for Walker miles

Press, 22 July 1976, Page 1

Plea to Tanzania for Walker miles

NZPA Montreal •An American track and field promoter expects to fly to Dar-es-Salaam within a week to make a personal plea to the Tanzanian President for Filbert Bayi to be allowed to run against John Walker. The promoter, Mr Dan Shedrick of the New York company, Telesport International, is organising the "Dream Mile Triple” series of races after the Olympics. Walker, Bayi and six other world-class milers are listed for the series, which will begin in Philadelphia four days after the Games end.

“I’m very much an optimist,” Mr Shedrick said today. “I’m sure I’ll be able to get an interview with President Nyerere and persuade him to let Bayi start in the series.” He said that the head of the Tanzanian Athletic Association, Mr Rafael Kubaga, had told him after Tanzania’s Games withdrawal that nothing was said about Bayi’s plans to run in the three one-mile races.

“We haven’t been told he’s not coming,” Mr

Shedrick said. "The only Government direction so far is about Tanzania not going to the Games because of New Zealand." However, reports from Dar-es-Salaam at the week-end said that Bayi would not run against Waiker until New Zealand ceased sporting contacts with South Africa. Walker himself was not optimistic about meeting his great rival this year. "It doesn’t look as if he'll be running against me.” Walker said. Mr Shedrick said he had become used to set-backs since he started planning the mile series 12 months ago.

The second race in the series was to have been run in Edinburgh on August 28, but the British Amateur Athletic Board refused permission because it feared the starstudded meeting would detract from one of the board’s own meetings at Crystal Palace in London two days later.

Mr Shedrick is now looking about for a second venue, and said today it would probably be in Oslo or somewhere in West Germany.

The third race is in Helsinki on September 18. Another problem for Mr Shedrick has been with prize money. He plans to

put up a purse of SUSIOO.OOO, with a SUSSO.OOO first prize going to the home association of the athlete who scores most aggregate points from the three races. Points will be awarded on a five for first to one for fifth basis.

However, the International Amateur Athletic Federation decided the system of national associations benefiting from the deeds of their athletes might be a contravention of its rules.

The federation's Londonbased executive director, Mr John Holt, asked the I.A.A.F. council to have a postal vote on whether the system was within amateur rules.

The council was undecided, and now the I.A.A.F. congress will discuss it during a meeting this week.

“I'm confident the series will go ahead, even if wa can't get Bayi,” Mr Shedrick said. "Even without Bayi, the field will be the best assembled for a mile race.”

Another runner listed to start is the Kenyan, Mike Boit, but he too is in doubt after Kenya's withdrawal from the Games Mr Shedrick said he had not heard whether Boit would still be running.