Cricket tour may survive political row

Press, 29 October 1981, Page 40

Cricket tour may survive political row

NZPA London Hopes are growing that England’s winter cricket tour to India and Sri Lanka will now survive the political row surrounding the South African links of Geoff Boycott and Geoff Cook. The British Prime Minister. Mrs Margaret Thatcher, yesterday expressed hope in the Commons that the tour would be allowed to go ahead, and the Indian Prime Minister, Mrs Gandhi, gave the first indications of a softening in the attitude of her Government towards the two players on her return to Delhi after the World Summit in Mexico.

Mrs Gandhi said: “I understand Geoff Boycott has spoken out against apartheid in his autobiography."

Mrs Thatcher said: “We naturally hope the tour will go ahead for the benefit of cricket in both countries.” Mrs Gandhi’s first statement on the individual positions of the two players and Boycott’s views may well be sufficient to drop the political opposition to his place in the England party.

But a final decision on whether the tour can go ahead on November 5 as scheduled is now expected after an Indian Cabinet meeting this morning. Boycott’s views came in his second book — “In the Fast Lane” — written after last winter’s tour to the West Indies and the row that surrounded Robin. Jackman’s links with South Africa.

Boycott wrote: “I have played and coached in South Africa myself and I know some people consider that to be wrong, a form of support for apartheid, even if only by implication.

“It is a complicated issue, and I don't claim to be able to sort it out or even give my own decision in a few well chosen words.

“The critics always seem to have their argument off pat, but let me say quite clearly that I hate apartheid as much as I love South Africa.

“I detest the system just as much as I detest Communism yet I confess I would love to go to Russia or China for a visit.”

Boycott clearly in his book takes a wide view of the whole issue as he adds: “If that’s illogical it is no more illogical than the stand taken by governments who trade with Communist countries or have diplomatic relations with regimes they frown upon."

Boycott believes that governments should agree on isolation before they ask sportsmen to avoid South Africa. He argues that his own visits there have not been all harmful. “There is some evidence that sporting contacts with South Africa have helped, even in a small way, to break down racial barriers there,” he said.

Boycott states that should the British Government insist he did not go to’ South Africa again he may be prepared to comply. He says: “The Gleneagles Agreement leaves a great deal of room for personal decision as you would expect in a democratic system.

“If the British Government actually bans sporting contact with South Africa — and I guess they would have to include the Communist bloc if they were consistent — then I would accept that ban and follow the instructions.”