Olympic suspensions?

Press, 27 February 1981, Page 24

Olympic suspensions?

NZPA-Reuter Los Angeles The International Olympic Committee will suspend five: countries from the Olympic i movement if government in-j fluence is not removed from! their national committees,: said 1.0. C. president, Mr! Juan Antonio Samaranch, of; Spain, yesterday. The five countries he: named were Panama, Costal Rica. El Salvador, the Philip-■ pines, and the Malagas}’ Re-i public. Mr Samaranch announced: the crackdown at the end of: two days of 1.0. C. meetings! in Los Angeles and said that | the cofnmittee would decide! in April on a suspension; date if this became neces-i sary. 1

= i "National Olympic com:imittees must be independent oof their governments. We Hfeel some national com- • jmittee members are apii pointed by their govern,intents and we feel these -.committees can be influenced Hby these governments,” said : Mr Samaranch. •i Asked if the Russians 11 might boycott the Los 'Angeles Summer Games in 1984 in view of the United |i States boycott of the Mosr cow Games last year, Mr ; Samaranch said he had spo'ken with Soviet sports authorities last month and J was convinced there would I be no boycott.