Games stand draws strong criticism

Press, 31 May 1980, Page 1

Games stand draws strong criticism

PA Wellington New Zealand sports administrators were sharply criticised both at home and abroad yesterday for defy* ing the Government’s call to boycott the Moscow Olympics. At home Government leaders expressed bitter disappointment about the decision by the Common-, wealth and Olympia Games Association to re< affirm New Zealand’s at* tendance at what have been called the ‘‘decapitated Games;’* There Was even a clear threat by the Minister of Sport and Recreation <Mr Highet) that the Government might react-to New Zealand’s attendance at the Games by reviewing ;ita funding of sports orgamsa* tions.-

The American State Department expressed its -“extreme displeasure?’. at the' association’s decision, which it said flew in the face, of mounting pro-boy-cott sentiment throughout' the world.

In ■ Jakarta, the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon)’ said that-the decision was ‘‘the wrong one.” Mirroring the frustration shown by Government’ leaders in Wellington yesterday, Mr Muldoon also said: “There is nothing more I can do.” . . However, .'both Mr Highet and - the Acting Prime Minister (Mr MacIntyre) have not given up the Government’s quest to stop New Zealanders competing at Moscow. Mr Maclntyre said , that he was convinced sports administrators would have to reconsider their stand, in the face-of a mounting public conviction that it was wrong to go to Mos* cow, but the ruled out in* dividual approaches' to athletes,, saying that 'he wag not prepared to ‘‘twist their aims.” They could go if - they wanted to,but they-would

not have the Government’s blessing, he said. Mr Maclntyre also said that the Government be* lieved sports officials should not go to Moscow. New Zealanders would not look back with pride on the association’s decision, he said. < “It seems to me that a decision which deeply concerned New Zealand’s national interests was taken on< the narrower concerns of individual sports of* Mr Maclntyre said. .

= “The decision was theirs jfo take:; and is theirs to carry. I do not think that they, and other New Zealanders, will look back on [this decision with pride.” Mr Highet, interviewed on his arrival at Parliament yesterday, said that there did not seem to be much more the Govern* ment could do to persuade the association against going to Moscow; Mr Highet said that the Cabinet, had . decided in January to honour its present financial commitment to the association, but he also said, “There are certain things we could do in the future, perhaps, to show our displeasure but we will consider that later on.”

He said that he was “bitterly disappointed” that the association had not changed its mind, because the: pressure . was now on individual athletes. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) expressed’his “very 1 greatest regret”, about the association’s decision.

“The decision is, clearly an example of a private organisation putting, , its concerns • above the in-, terests of - New Zealand as a whole, and the interests of small and vulnerable nations throughout the world,” Mr Rowling said. However, the Government itself had to shoulder a good'deal of the blame,

because sports administrators had been left in the dark until the last minute about the Government’s attitude to the Games, he said.

In Washington, a White House official yesterday called on New Zealand athletes to boycott the Moscow Olympics as in* dividuals, and said that they would be used by the Russians for propaganda purposes.

He said that the vote by the N.Z.O.C.G.A. was not binding on individual team members. “Athletes now have the choice. They can make their own decisions. If they go, their presence will be used by the Soviets as commendation of the invasion of Afghanistan,” the official said.

A State Department spokesman, Mr Tom Reston, said that the vote “flies.in the face of mounting pro-boycott sentiment throughout the world, sen-, timent which prompted the New Zealand association itself to reconsider its previous vote.” The White House official, who declined to be named, said . that the Soviet Union was already saying that the boycott was a failure. “The propaganda will be stepped up. When the athletes arrive in Moscow they will be used,” he said. “We are beginning to get reports from throughout the world of individual athletes, sports federations, and coaches deciding of their own accord not to go. • - “We' have every hope that these withdrawals will increase.” The official said that it •seemed likely already that several sports — particularly equestrian events, hockey, and yachting — might not be held at all in Moscow because of ths number of withdrawals.

Airmen, from the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Wigram give three cheers in honour of the Queen at the parading of the Queen’s Colour at Wigram yesterday. After the parade the Colour was lodged at the No. 1 officers’, mess. Over ' the next 12 months the Colour will be brought out only on ceremonial .occasions at the base. The Colour was handed over to Wigram by the R.N.Z.A.F. base, Ohakea, at . the annual 1 Queen’s Birthday parade. Ohakea has had custody of the Colour for the last 12 months During the parading of the Colour the salute was taken by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr Hamish Hay). Mr Hay said that the

parade and the Beating the Retreat ceremony (performed by the Wigram base’s band) which followed it were one of the few local observances of the Queen’s official birthday. He commended the base for “mounting such an impressive ceremony.” A 21-gun Army salute, will be fired at North Hagley Park at midday on Monday, the Queen’s Birthday. „ , The salute will be fired by miked Regular and Territorial Force gun crews from a battery of the 3rd Field Regiment, Royal New Zealand Artillery. Six 105 mm howitzers will be used for the exercise. As the Queen’s Birthday week-end is celebrated a fortnight later in Britain, the Queen’s Birthday Honours List will be announced on June 14.