Basketball ‘could be in jeopardy’ if S.A. rugby visit goes ahead

Press, 21 December 1978, Page 28

Basketball ‘could be in jeopardy’ if S.A. rugby visit goes ahead

Bv

ROD DEW

A proposal to stage the second Commonwealth basketball championships in New Zealand in 1983 was being placed in jeopardy by the planned visit of six rugby players to <outh Africa next year, said the president of the New Zealand Basketball Federation (Mr M. A. Henshall. of Christchurch i yesterday.

An Australian adminis- i trator had already warned that New Zealand, as a country, “had better sort out; its problem with African Commonwealth countries; post haste" if it wished to, be successful in its bid for | the championships, Mr Hen-■ shall said. New Zealand will submit ; an application to hold the championships in 1983 and this will be considered by ■ Commonwalth basketball officials at the Olympic Games in Moscow in 1980. The New Zealand federation plans to cater for women, as well as men, for the first time. Preliminary notice of New; Zealand’s intention to apply for the championships has; already been given. No venues have yet been set but it is almost certain! that the finals will be held! in Christchurch where the sport’s national administration is based. "The view I would express, on behalf of the federation is that the wishes of the; Government should be sup-i ported.” Mr Henshall said/ “The rugby union should be; prepared to comply with the wishes of the Government of: the day. This would result in[ the invitations being withdrawn,” he said. The Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Taiboys) had sought: the full co-operation of the rugby union but this had not; been forthcoming to the extent desired. “If, in like cir- i cumstances, the co-operation of the federation was invited, it would be given i freely in a form which I would be satisfactory to the! Government and, at the: same time, binding on affil-j iated members of the federation,” said Mr Henshall. It seemed that New Zea-1 land could either continue to have rugby contact with!

j South Africa, or New Zealand could continue to par-; ticipate in Olympic, Com-I 1 monwealth, and World Games. If it came down to a ■choice, it was obvious that ■the basketball federation i would support continued I participation in international : games, Mr Henshall said. The federation had not i previously had reason to esI tablish a firm policy on the [issue of sporting contacts; with South Africa but he: envisaged that if a con-i sensus of opinion was taken; ;it would confirm what he! was saying. Consideration of the moral .issues was best left to the! individual to appraise. However, he said, it was ! impossible in this day and I [age to separate sport and, I politics because both had al I common denominator — people. “In New Zealand we are .fortunate to have a demoi cratic system and we should I all be prepared to comply I with the wishes of the GovI ernment of the day, par- ; ticularly on international ; issues.” ; The attitude of one Com-! ;monwealth country, Nigeria,: [ to continuing sporting con-1 ! tacts between South Africa land New Zealand has al-j ready been experienced by I the New Zealand Basketball 5 Federation. I Nigeria had withdrawn /from the Commonwealth •! basketball championships in ; Britain earlier this year as a /consequence of the participation of a team from New /Zealand, Mr Henshall said. I New Zealand finished run- >; ner-up to Canada in the /Commonwealth final. Basketball in New Zealand ■I would undoubtedly suffer some repercussions if the I rugby visit to South Africa went ahead, he said. Teams expected to attend

i the next Commonwealth (championship include Ausj tralia, Canada, Wales, Engi land, Scotland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Bahamas, Nigeria, Kenya, and Tanzania. Other African [countries are also possible starters.

I Organising the champion- , ships in New Zealand would be a major undertaking. It was hoped to enlist help from many officials who assisted in the successful organisation of the Commonwealth Games in Christchurch in 1974, Mr Hensall said.