N.Z. votes to compete at Moscow

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 1

N.Z. votes to compete at Moscow

PA Wellington The New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association decided last night to send a team to the Moscow Olympics.

A motion endorsing Olympic participation was passed with 12 members voting in favour, five against, and one abstaining. An earlier motion to defer the decision to May 20 was lost in spite of it being supported by the chairman of the association, Mr Lance Cross. Mr Cross was strongly opposed to a decision’s being made last evening. He said he had close contact with the situation. The association should reconfirm that it wanted to send a team to the Games, and that preparations for the Games continue as planned, but that a final decision be made on May 20.

However, the- motiqn was put ' that the association accept the' invitation to go to Moscow.: Mr Cross then put an amendment that the association confirm that it wanted to send a team but that a final decision be made in 12 days time. The amendment was lost and the motion favouring « New Zealand team being sent to Moscow was passed.

The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association’s representative said his association believed it was time politics was kept out of sport and voted in favour of going to the Games. The association felt that New Zealand should attend’ unless the world situation became so

bad that it was impossible to send a team. ,The Hockey Association’s ; representative said it treasured the right to compete without political interference. The association would accept a negative decision on the Games but members wanted a decision now. The Judo Association wanted to send a team to the Games but was prepared to leave a definite decision until the next meeting. The Badminton Association, representing a nonOlympic -sport,- declined to vote. A spokesman for the Weightlifting Association said his members were very frustrated about the situation. They had trained for years to reach the Olympic standard and wanted a decision now. Earlier, Mr Cross had said that he understood the position athletes were in.

But an important point to consider was what New Zealand would do if by May 20 it was the only country from the ‘‘free world” attending the Games.

“We must consider our country’s position and the fierce ' public opinion the association would face,” said Mr Cross. He had recently attended a meeting with big

businessmen in Wellington. They had expressed strong opposition to the games being held at Moscow and had made it clear that any money they gave to sport not be used for the Games. He had also visited sports clubs throughout New Zealand and he had found opinion on attending the Games to be evenly divided. Mr M. R. Dunckmanton chairman of the Amateur Swimming Association, was delighted with the decision. A New Zealand squad of 18 is training at Queen Elizabeth II Park at present for a final trial on May 18. Mr Duckmanton said he did not think the swimming association would reconsider going to Moscoweven if European countries withdrew in the next few weeks. Mr D. L. Coulter, chairman of the hockey association, also welcomed the decision. A member of the New Zealand Olympic yachting team said that all members of the team had signed a letter seeking a reversal of the Yachting Federation’s decision last month not to send a team to the Games. The letter had the support of the yachting manager, Mr P. G. Mander.