Riders decide to boycott Games

Press, 9 April 1980, Page 8

Riders decide to boycott Games

NZPA London! Britain’s equestrian sports chiefs have decided to support their Government rattier than the Olympic Associ-I ation and will stay away from the Moscow Olympic Games.

The British Equestrian Federation said yesterday that it would not send any three-day event, show jumping, or dressage teams to the games unless the Government dropped its boj'cott call.

It said it had the full support, of all potential Olympic competitors, which include Captain Mark Phillips, Princess Anne’s husband.

The exclusive sport was one of four that earlier this month voted against the majority opinion of the British Olympic Assocation that the country should go to the Games, regardless of the government view.

Captain Phillips, a gold medallist with the British team at the Munich Olympics, was reckoned ..to have had a good chance of selection for Moscow but his wife, a competitor at Montreal four years ago, does not have a horse of Olympic calibre.

The Equestrian Federation’s decision puts Prince Philip in a quandary. As president of the International Equestrian Federation he would normalty attend the Olympics. It was reported in London

I a fortnight ago tha v . he had heeded the advice of tha Prime Minister (Mrs Margaret Thatcher) and decided against going, but Buckingham Palace denied it, saying he had not yet mace an 3 decision and was giving the matter “full consideration."

f In Washington, President z Jimmy Carter has person- - ally appealed to the Lhited j States Olympic Committee ■ to support his call for a t boycott of the Moscow; Olympics because Mr Csrteij

- says the boycott is in the : best interests of America’s ■ national security. Officials of the American Olympic Committee have ; said they will support the ; President’s request but have! ; dragged their feet on thej

issue, hoping that the world situation might change og that Mr Carter might soften' his position. Two weeks ago, at ai meeting in Colorado Springs of representatives of thel national governing bodies* the hierarchy of the 32 Olympic sports, in the United States, a strong desire was expressed that: American athletes should compete because. Mr Carter had not declared it would damage national security.

Since then, senior Administration officials have attempted to impress upon the U.S.O.C. representatives that the President does, indeed* see the boycott as a national security issue.