P.M. still has boycott doubts

Press, 25 May 1977, Page 7

P.M. still has boycott doubts

| PA Wellington j The Prime Minister (Mr ; ! Muldoon) said on Monday i that he was not convinced ; that African countries would ■ boycott the Commonwealth Games because of New Zea- i land’s policy on sports con- , tacts with South Africa. , He made this comment in response to questions about ■ the latest statement by the , president of the Supreme i Council for Sport in Afrira ; (Mr Abraham Ordia), who , said in a leter to an Auckland ; sports writer, Terry McLean. ; that none of the 14 black African countries would com- ] pete at Edmonton unless , there was a dramatic change i in New Zealand policy. , “He seems to be conduct- ( ing some kind of vendetta,” < Mr Muldoon said. He had not h: I any recent communica- , tion with the Canadian Prime - Minister (Mr Pierre Trudeau) on the Games. 1 However, Mr Trudeau hadlr

said during his recent visit to London that there was not much difference between the Canadian and New Zealand positions on sports contacts with South Africa. Mr Trudeau said that the Canadian Government did not meet any costs of sports teams going to South Africa. Mr Muldoon said that Mr Trudeau might be under some misapprehension, as other Governments were, that the New Zealand Government met the expense of New Zealand teams which went ’.o South Africa. Public servants selected for national teams got allowances while they were away, but this was a long-standing arrangement and had nothing to do with the New Zealand Government. Mr Muldoon said that he would “tidy this up” with Mr Trudeau during the Commonwealth Heads of GovernIment conference in London.