South African plot to breach Gleneagles?

Press, 10 March 1982, Page 14

South African plot to breach Gleneagles?

NZPA staff correspondent. Hong Kong Last year’s Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand was part of a “massive blueprint” drawn up by South Africa to breach the Gleneagles Agreement, according to an editorial in the “South China Morning Post.” The “Post,” Hong Kong’s biggest circulation Englishlanguage daily newspaper, says that for two years the South Africans have been probing the chinks in the armour of those nations which signed the agreement. “A well planned exercise saw them get their rugby team into New Zealand, a manoeuvre which could ultimately cost New Zealand dearly in the international sports arenas,” it says. “Their rugby players may not suffer, but their other athletes undoubtedly will.’ The newspaper, which during the events leading tip to the Springbok tour was sympathetic editorially to the dilemma of the New Zealand Government, says there is little doubt that forces with both time, money, and energy were determined to see South Africa readmitted to the family of sporting nations. The reference to the Springbok tour is part of a long editorial which deals with what the “Post” sees as duplicity on the part of Britain. Referring to recent issues involving trade and British nationality, it says Hong only recently be-

come aware of “how devious our leaders in London can be.” ' “The whole question of honour and commitment has flared up anew with the visit to South Africa of 12 English cricketers,” the newspaper says. • “The visit can only be seen as part of the massive blueprint drawn up by the South Africans to breach the Gleneagles Agreement on the boycott of sports contacts with that nation over apartheid.”

; The action of the English i cricketers, in the context of the whole South African t panorama, “must be consid- ; ered infamous . ..” t i It says it is apparent that • a conspiracy of silence existed over plans for the i cricket tour, adding that it is • hard to believe the English i Test and County Cricket • Board, members of the Brit- ; ish Government, and seg- > ments of the British press ■ did not know what was going on.