The games should go on

Press, 24 August 1976, Page 16

The games should go on

New Zealand has already been penalised for the decision made by the Rugby Union to send the All Blacks to South Africa and for the failure of the Government to maintain a consistent attitude towards sporting contacts between New Zealand and South African teams. The country need not punish itself further by supporting moves to persuade the New Zealand Games organising committee to postpone the games planned for Christchurch next January.

The committee should not stage the games in a spirit of defiance against those countries and individuals who are vexed by the All Black tour, or from a determination to demonstrate that New Zealand refuses to be intimidated by the possibility of a further sports boycott Further damage will be done if countries which believe that New Zealand has not made an adequate stand against racism in sport also believe that the games organisers are indifferent to their opinions.

The troubles of the games’ organisers would disappear if they covid state confidently that, once the All Bit ck tour is over, New Zealand will have no further sporting contact with South Africa. This they obviously cannot do,

at least so long as the administrators of individual sports continue to enjoy their rightful independence from Government direction. What the organisers of the games can do is to endeavour to make the games themselves a convincing demonstration that, whatever association any individual sporting body such as the Rugby Union maintains with South Africa, sports events within New Zealand have no taint of racism or discrimination.

Invitations to compete at the games were sent only to countries which practise no overt discrimination in the selection of teams and individuals to represent them abroad. South Africa was not invited to take part. The organisers of the games should demonstrate that they are eager to see individual athletes of different races competing against each other in Christchurch. Even this will probably not be enough to ensure that athletes from two of the countries invited, Kenya and Tanzania, compete in Christchurch next January. But it should ensure that holding the games does not further harm New Zealand’s reputation overseas, and could do something to change the poor opinion of New Zealand held by those to whom racism in sport is a vital issue.