Mr Talboys urges rugby union to consider S.A. tour carefully

Press, 18 April 1980, Page 24

Mr Talboys urges rugby union to consider S.A. tour carefully

PA Wellington The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Taiboys, has written a letter to the New Zealand Rugby Football Union, outlining the Government’s position on next year’s proposed South African rugby tour of New Zealand.

The text of the letter, which was released by the N.Z.R.F.U. chairman, Mr Ces Blazey at the Union’s annual general meeting in Wellington yesterday, reads.— Dear Mr Blazey, I understand that the question of a tour of New Zealand by a South African Springbok rugby team in 1981 is likely to be considered later this year by the Council of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union. I know that you have made it clear, both when we discussed this matter, and publicly, that a decision on the tour is some way off, and that the Springboks are not the only touring option available to the council. I am nevertheless deeply concerned that a South African tour is even one of the options which will be considered, and I am writing to ask that the council, when making its decision, take full account of the wider implications _ of this question, the most important of which are New Zealand’s responsibilities under the Gleneagles Agreement. I am sure that by now the council' is as familiar as I ; am with the details of the Gleneagles Agreement, and - the responsibilities it im- ; poses upon us all. Never- ; theless, I would draw to . your particular attention the fact that the Agreement notes that sporting contact :

, with South Africa gives the : appearances — however ; much this is unwarranted — I of condoning the apartheid ■ policies of the South African Government.It is left to each Govern- > ment to decide the ways in which it can best discharge its responsibilities under the Gleneagles Agreement. New Zealand’s stated pol- : icy is that decisions on international sporting contacts are properly made by the sporting bodies concerned, not the Government. This imposes a very heavy burden on any sporting bodies considering sporting contact with South Africa, for it is, in the end, by the decisions of those bodies that New Zealand is judged in the international arena.. I have always been gratified by the very careful consideration your Council has given in the past to this aspect of the question. Over the last year I have been greatly encouraged by the extent to ■ which New Zealand sporting contacts with South Africa have diminished. A Springbok tour would] dash to the ground all that has been achieved as a result in terms of international acceptance of the fact that New Zealand does not, in any way whatever, condone the policies of the apartheid regime in South Africa.

e I ask, therefore, that when r considering the question of a - Springbok tour of New ZeaI land, the Council take fully i into account the grave responsibilities it has under - the Gleneagles Agreement. i The decision taken by the e Council may affect, not only ; the individuals, the teams, and the sport concerned, but - also the harmonious develi opment of Commonwealth - and international sport.: Yours sincerely, B. E. Taiboys, r Minister of Foreign Afr fairs. |