Nigeria to ‘decide soon’ on Brisbane Games

Press, 20 April 1982, Page 2

Nigeria to ‘decide soon’ on Brisbane Games

PA Wellington Nigeria will decide "very soon" whether to participate in this year’s Brisbane Commonwealth Games, said the country’s first High Commissioner to New Zealand, Mr Edward Sanu, yesterday. After talks with the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) at the Beehive, Mr Sanu told journalists that the decision would be made by his Government well within the next month.

No decision had yet been - taken to boycott the Games, Mr Sanu said. He said that his discussions with people in New Zealand would assist in making the decision. a Mr Sanu visited Mr Muldoon to present his credentials. He said: “I did not come to discuss a boycott with the Prime Minister.” Bilateral co-operation was the main subject discussed.

However, he was in Mr Muldoon’s office for almost an hour and both countries took the opportunity to explain” their positions on sports contacts with South Africa. Mr Sanu said Mr Muldoon had explained his Government’s policy . for non-

interference with bodies such as the Rugby Union — whose acceptance of a tour to New Zealand last year by the Springboks led to fears of a Games boycott by African nations.

“I explained to the Prime Minister the difficulties we have in accepting that position,” Mr Sanu said.

Mr Sanu said Nigeria would take a position dependent on whether there had been a change in attitude in New Zealand on the

Springbok tour and whether there was an indication “that what took place was not in accord with the spirit of the Gleneagles Agreement.” He said he was not seeing the .Rugby Union but was meeting other sports people, including members of the Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association. Mr Sanu agreed after yesterday’s meeting that New Zealand and Nigeria definitely had a difference of opinion on the question of sports links with South Africa. Mr Sanu said he would not discuss whether Nigeria would give a lead to other African nations on the question of a possible Brisbane bovcott.

His country would make its decision independently, but it had a special responsibility as chairman of the Supreme Council for Sport in Africa and as chairman of the United Nations committee on apartheid. Nigeria does not agree that governments do not have a role to play in sports contacts.

“Every government acts in its national interests. But, as the Prime Minister has

pointed out to me, that is the attitude of New Zealand.” Mr Sanu agreed that Nigeria was looking towards New Zealand for some gesture to avoid a boycott of the Games. “We are of course quite unhappy with the Springbok tour and the rugby administration going to South Africa.” Mr Sanu said Nigeria was also “quite unhappy” with the comments of a Rugby Union member — whom he did not name. He had “come out and issued some statements of how people live in South Africa which we consider to be quite unfortunate, if not totally irrelevant.” He declined to say what sort of gesture from the New Zealand Government would be well received by Nigeria. Mr Muldoon, would make no comment to journalists on the meeting he had with Mr Sanu.

Mr Muldoon said Mr Sanu had told journalists what had been discussed and he would make no further comment.

“I have had a transcript of what he said and I have nothing to add. It is a very fair summary of. what we talked about.”