Politics divides-eights group

Press, 29 October 1981, Page 6

Politics divides-eights group

Politics has • divided the Society for the Protection of Individual Rights,'the pressure group which fought.to keep politics .out of. sport during the Springbok tour:

Auckland members of 5.P.1.R.-N.Z. have formed a breakaway group, Free Nation-N.Z., which will become involved in political issues as well as freedom in sport. The group was formed after the Christchurch branch of 5.P.1.R.-N.Z. expressed disapproval of moves by the Auckland branch chairman, ' Mrs Yvonne Willcox, into “radical politics.”

“We told her that if she wants to become involved in politics she should, form her own association and dissociate -• herself from 5.P.1.R.N.Z.,” said the Christchurch branch secretary, Mrs Elizabeth. Sutherland, yesterday. “It would be. sheer hypocrisy for 5.P.1.R.-N.Z. to be involved with politics,” she said. “It is a non-political group.” In announcing the new group. Mrs Willcox said that the Auckland members were dissatisfied that the Christchurch branch had "decided to concern itself with sporting matters only.” Free Nation-N.Z. believed that “political democracy, and freedom in sport go hand in hand, and the) growth of political extremism is too often accompanied by the intensification of political interference in the affairs of sporting bodies.”

"Free Nation-N.Z. therefore intends to combine the struggle to retain sporting freedom with the struggle against the growth .of extremist political groups, be they Right wing ,or Left wing,” said Mrs Willcox. A meeting, of the Auckland branch on October 14 voted unanimously to form the breakaway group. The new organisation intends to extend its activities throughout New Zealand and overseas. It intends to associate with the London-based Freedom in Sport. The Christchurch branch was not worried by the division; said Mrs Sutherland. "She 1 . (Mrs Willcox) is merely the Auckland chairman and to the rest, of New Zealand she is just one person. If she and others want to be involved in politics, fair enough, go ahead,” Mrs Sutherland said. Mrs Sutherland did not think that it was fair to say • that the whole of the Auckland branch had broken awav.

“f hear they did not have very many members at the meeting.” But Mrs Willcox said that every member had been notified' three weeks earlier about-the meeting and of the intention to form the new group. A “good percentage” attended the meeting.- '’ - . “We sent out another newsletter on Tuesday to all members telling them of the change. We told them to get in touch with ... the Christchurch branch if they A.

did hot'want to be meixi'bers ,of Free..Nation-N.Z. We even' gave them the Christchurch telephone number, address, and contact name. We could not be.more democratic than that,” said Mrs Willcox. ■;’She denied that there had been a split in 5.P.1.R.-N.Z.

'“lt was just an embryo organisation which lias .now grown up,” she said.

“A change had to be made anyway. 5.P.1.R.-N.Z. has been told it has' to change its name because it is too similar to another organisation,” said. Mrs Willcox. Mrs Sutherland said that moves were being made to change her organisation’s name to 5.P.1.R.-N.Z. Organisation for Sporting Freedom, because, of the need to change the name.