P.M. Too optimistic’ over sports boycott

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 11

P.M. Too optimistic’ over sports boycott

PA Wellington Recent statements by the Prime Minister, (Mr Muldoon) about the African sports boycott of New Zealand are excessively optimistic and based on little that can be called hard evidence, according to the chairman of the Halt All Racist Tours organisation (Mr T. Richards). Mr Richards has just returned from an African tour that took him to Tanzania and Nigeria. He also went to London and New York. He said that Mr Muldoon’s optimism was due to a mis-reporting in the New Zealand and international press of the results of the Yaounde meeting of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa. It was also due to bad judgments by those outside New Zealand, not in New Zealand foreign mis-

sions feeding the Prime Minister information and Mr Muldoon’s ability to give New Zealanders highly colourful versions of information given to him in confidence. Mr Richards said that the Nigerians and Tanzanians had made their position clear to him in discussions with government and sports officials. “The Tanzanians recognise that there have been some optimistic and encouraging signs in New Zealand,” he said. They note with approval changes in public opinion, the personal positions of Mr Taiboys and Sir Keith Holyoake and the decisions made by some sports bodies. “On the other hand, they emphasise that their major concern has been the position of the New Zealand Government and the note that, in spite of these encouraging developments, Government policy, as stated and publicly

and offically practised, ; has undergone insufficent ; change. “The Nigerian Government’s position is no different. Extensive discussions in both countries served -only to emphasise and re-emphasise the strength and committment of Nigeria and Tanzania to maintain the boycott.”

Mr Richards said that he had asked the Nigerian Commissioner for Sport, (Major General Olutyoe) what would satisfy Tan- I zania and Nigeria. He had been told that two things had to be done — the New Zealand Government had to declare its support, for the sports boycott and take action in support of that declaration.

He had been told the ! same in Tanzania, where ! the Foreign Minister, (Mr | Kaduma) had stressed that I the New Zealand Govern- | ment had a duty and an : obligation to conduct a : vigorous public education ! programme on the issue.