Boycott of N.Z. ‘still possible’

Press, 17 April 1982, Page 1

Boycott of N.Z. ‘still possible’

PA Wellington Nigeria's incoming High Commissioner to New Zealand. Mr Olu Sanu. said yesterday that an African boycott of the Commonwealth Games at Brisbane because of New Zealand participation was still a possibility. Mr Sanu. who presented his credentials to the Gover-nor-General yesterday, said that the Commonwealth Games Committee would consider the question of a boycott when it met in London. He said there was no doubt that Nigeria would be “very unhappy" if New Zealand continued any sports contact with South Africa. He could not accept the

argument that the Government had no control over a decision an organisation such as the New Zealand Rugby Union might take with regard to sports contacts with South Africa. “Governments have ways of preventing these things." he said. “I am sure that if the Rugby Union proposed sending a team to. say. Poland, it would get no further than the airport," Mr Sanu said that Nigerians were aware of New Zealand's record in race relations but saw a contradiction between that record and the decision to maintain sports links with South Africa. “That is a contradiction which only New Zealand can explain,” he said.