Fencing manager withdraws from N.Z. Games team

Press, 2 June 1980, Page 1

Fencing manager withdraws from N.Z. Games team

The fencing section manager of the New Zealand Olympic Games team, Mr Keith Mann, of Christchurch, has ' withdrawn from the team.

Mr Mann said yesterday that the. main reason for his withdrawal, was that the national executive of the Fencing Association was opposed to New Zealand’s participation. However, he had also taken into account his own views about the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. No pressure had been brought to bear on him and in reaching his decision he was conscious of the fact that he could be making things difficult for the sole fencer in the team, Martin Brill, of Auckland. “It is possible that he will be able to work in with some' other section of the team,” said Mr Mann. He doubted if another manager would be appointed at this late stage. Mr Mann, who is the national fencing selector, said he was very disappointed to have to decline the trip.

“We have been working a long time to be represented at Moscow and getting to an Olympics has always been an ambition of mine. I did not make it as a competitor (he represented New Zealand at both the 1962 and 1966 Commonwealth Games) and the chance may not present itself again.

“But I have made the decision and I think it is the right one. After the hassles of the last few weeks 1 don’t think many of the competitors are going to be in the right frame of mind to give of their best. The situation is hardly conducive to good training,” said Mr Mann. He said that he had no idea of Brill’s thoughts on the question. “It is something he must decide for himself.”

Brill, who was ranked thirty-third in the epee in the world after the world championships in Melbourne last year, is in Paris preparing for the Olympics. He is probably not yet. aware of Mr Mann’s decision.

Fewer than 50 per cent of New Zealand athletes will know how their delegates to the important Olympic Association meeting last week voted on sending a team to the, Moscow Games, reports the Press Association. At the five-hour meeting held last Thursday evening, the final vote was 12 to go, six for boycott, and two abstentions.

This week-end Wellington reporters were able to reach 16 of the 20 delegates to ask them how they voted on Thursday. Six delegates said “No comment.” They believed they could not give the information because the vote was taken in committee. Nine others told how they voted and the one remaining delegate, wrestling’s Mr K. F. Scott, said he was not at the meeting and did not know how his vote was recorded. ' The full list is:

Messrs W. Garlic, canoeing, yes; T. Wilson, rowing, not available for comment; B. Bremner, hockey, no comment; B. Cameron, weight-lifting, yes; Barbara Levido, cycling, yes; Messrs C. L. S. Cross, basketball, no comment; I. Boyd, athletics, no comment; R. Shakespeare, swimming, no; J. Kent, boxing, no; H. Wagstaff, yachting, not available; Alan Graham, ski-ing, abstained; K. F. Scott, wrestling, not at meeting; R. Dutton, equestrian, no; R. Peterson, fencing, not available; H. Austad, president N.Z.1.0.C., no comment; H. Tse, shooting, not available; I. Ballinger, lawn bowls, abstained; C. Bond, judo, no comment; B. Ullrich, gymnastics, yes; B. Fraser, archery, no comment.