Boycott may cost hockey assn thousands of dollars

Press, 23 April 1980, Page 42

Boycott may cost hockey assn thousands of dollars

By

KEVIN TUTTY

Several thousand dollars may be lost by the New Zealand Hockey Association if there is a boycott of the Moscow Olympics.

The association intends to send its team to Europe for pre-Olympic preparation on budget air fares. But these have to be paid 45 days in advance, which is May 5 in the hockey association’s case. There is a 50 per cent cancellation fee after this date except for extraordinary circumstances, usually the death of an immediate member of one’s family. The fares can be insured but 10 per cent is still payable on cancellation, plus the premium which, said an insurance spokesman yesterday, would be fairly high because of the risk of a boycott. In the case of the hockey association the 10 per cent 0 would amount to almost $3OOO with the insurance premium •on top of that. Also there was no guarantee, because of the risk, the insurance companies would be interested in quoting pre-

miums, said the insurance spokesman.

The N.Z.H.A., however, is continuing with plans to visit Europe and prepare the Olympic team. It has a coaching week-end in Palmerston North from May 2 to 4 and another at Lincoln at Queens Birthday week-end. These would cost several thousand dollars in addition said the general-secretary of the association, Mr A. W. Barrett, yesterday. But the money spent on coaching week-ends will not be wasted. An alterntive hockey competition is proposed for both the men and women if there is a boycott at Moscow. Australia said several months ago it would hold the hockey tournament, and Perth, because it has an artificial surface, is the likely venue. The chairwoman of the New Zealand Women’s Hockey Association, Mrs R. Quiad, said that her associ-

ation did not stand to lose money at present because it had not finalised its travel plans and. had not yet paid any fares. She did say, however, that the team would travel to England for its final preparation “as cheaply as possible,” so there is the' possibility it might face a loss through cancelled air fares. Of the two other large contingents in the New Zealand team, yachting has withdrawn and rowing will travel to Eurdpe for competition regardless of a boycott. For the sports with smaller teams the situation is not as bad. The chairman of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association, Mr M. R. Duckmanton. said that the swimming team would not be travelling on concession fares. He added that like most other sports, planning was still proceeding with the Olympics as the goal. “Our

decision will be the same as that of the Olympic association’s.” Mr Duckmanton said that if there was a boycott the • N.Z.A.S.A. would look at what big meetings were available in the northern hemisphere and then select a circuit for the Olympic swimmers, either in the United States or Europe. The uncertainty hanging over participation in the Olympics had not affected the rowers as much as some other sportsmen, said the coach of the coxless fours, Mr Pat McQuinn, of Christchurch. The world body, F.T.S.A. had indicated that a world championship would be or-: ganised if there were wholesale defections from ■ the Olympic rowing programme, he said. Consequently the rowers were still training six days a week as they had something to aim for regardless of the Games decision. However, the withdrawal:

or the yachting contingent and the increasing prospect of an Olympic boycott by the West has hit the mental approaches of a number of competitors. The Maister brothers, Selwyn and Barry, both chosen for their fourth Olympics in hockey, said they could not see the Games going ahead, and Selwyn said it was his personal conviction that New Zealand should not attend. But he felt the team considerations should override the individual’s attitude. The Maisters arid Tony Ineson, who captained the gold medal winning team' at the i Montreal Olympics, all said they wondered whether their training was in vain. Inesonl felt the Olympics would! benefit from a suspension of | from eight to 12 years to “steady things down.” He said that the; Games were being used as a big political football.