Games head criticises John Walker’s claims

Press, 8 December 1976, Page 48

Games head criticises John Walker’s claims

I he New Zealand Games were for more than 400 competitors from five sports, not just for 12 or 15 world-class track and field athletes, said Mr A. \V. Barrett, the executive-director of the Games organising committee. yesterday in reply to reported statements by John Walker.

Walker described the ‘unrealistic” attitude of the organisers as the probable reason for the Games having to be called off. A new Sponsored track and field »eries, which Walker and *mtither prominent New Zealand athlete, Dick Quax, Lave helped to arrange, will t>e held "instead. The point by Walker that Mr Barrett took the strong [st exception to was that the niter to pay only 50 per cent l>f the travel costs was unrealistic. “We could probably have offered a better deal if we tad wanted to bring lust a dozen or so people, but we v.ere dealing in hundreds tnd to give such special treatment to a few would jot have served the purpose jf the Games. “The Games included five Sports and they were not intended iust for the Walkers and Quaxs of this world. What we wanted to do was provide an opportunity for

ocaf competitors on me next level to prove what they could do and benefit from the experience,” said Mr Barrett. Returning to costs, he said that even looking jusl at athletics it was not possible to compare the New Zealand Games to the new series. "We had a four-day athletic programme to fill; ‘.hey are talking about events taking in iust one day.” Mr Barrett said it was true, as reported, that Quax had asked him if he could bring hi' wife to the Games and he had replied that the committee would probably •jot pay her expenses. He said he undertook to refer rhe question to his executive, but the executive never met again until the postponement decision was made. “What return would there have been to rhe New Zealand Games if we had paid Mrs O'—'- expenses?” a:’.ed iMr Barrett. ‘‘Also, we would I have set a precedent, which I numerous other New Zealand competitors would soon [have made us aware of.” l During the telephone call ‘about Quax’s wife, Mr Barirett said Ouax offered to

send a list of overseas athletic contacts. The list was never received.

He said it was true that an invitation to Walker to come to Christchurch and give the organising committee the benefit of his advice had been made shortly before Walker went into hospital, but it was ‘‘news to him that an appendix operiation stopped a person from I writing.”

Mr Barrett said he did not wish to enter into a “newspaper war” with Walker and Quax, but he felt that they had been no help to the New Zealand Games, and now that the Games were postponed they were making comments that were quite unfair. He said that he thought that their actions in negotiating directly with overseas athletes was a flagrant, disregard of the International Amateur Athletic Federation’s rules. All negotiations must be done by national associations and before making its approaches the Games committee obtained letters of authority from the national bodies of the five involved sports, he said. Mr Barrett said he wished the planned 'athletics series well, but as the second New Zealand Games were now tentatively scheduled for next December or January, 1978, he would very much like to meet the sponsor who, according to Walker, would have been prepared to put up $lOO,OOO for the event in January. “More to the point, I would like to see his cheque book,” he added.