N.Z. athletes not wanted

Press, 10 June 1977, Page 24

N.Z. athletes not wanted

PA Wellington I The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association is to ( cable its "concern” to the, organisers of the Jacques | Coeur athletics meeting ini Paris on June 18 about the, cancellation of the New Zea-| land invitation at two days’( I notice. The N.Z.A.A.A. was to| have sent Stuart Melville (Dunedin), Tom Birniel (Christchurch), Jim Dowman, '(Hamilton) and Frank Slater! (Auckland) to run in the 4 x 1500 metres relay. The Secretary of the | N.Z.A.A.A., Mr Barry Miles, j received a cable from the organisers yesterday saying baldly that the invitation “had been withdrawn.” Earlier the original New Zealand team — Euan Robertson (Dunedin), Rod Dixon (Christchurch), John Walker and Dick Quax (Auckland) had withdrawn. Asked if he saw the Paris

lor ganisers’ action as part of a boycott of New Zealand ■athletes, Mr Blazey said (“your guess is as good as ■mine.” I Mr Blazey said that the i cable to the organiser would also express concern at the (late stage at which the invitation had been withdrawn (after it had been indicated (that the New Zealand team would be accepted. The New (Zealand four were due to ; leave for Europe on Saturday. Melville is the 5000 i metres national champion 'and 1974 Commonwealth j Games representative. BirInie, Dowman, and Slater were the first three placegetters in the national 1500 metres final in March this year. The cancellation of the tour is a particularly tough blow for Birnie. He was hoping to capitalise on the trip by staying on in Europe for a short time for some individual events.