‘N.Z. will toe line over code’

Press, 15 October 1982, Page 36

‘N.Z. will toe line over code’

A forecast that New Zealand would “toe the line” over the. code of conduct adopted by the Commonwealth Games Federation in Brisbane was made in Christchurch yesterday by Mr Alex Chapman, one of the most respected figures in the movement.

Mr Chapman has been the secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Association since 1963 and was general manager of the Games team in Brisbane.

A compelling reason for New Zealand to observe the code was that Auckland was a contender for the 1990 Commonwealth Games, and its campaigners would not want a gross breach of the Gleneagles Agreement to im-

pair its chances of selection, he said. An All Black rugby tour of South Africa in 1985 would, of course, be regarded as a gross breach. “It would be up to your Government to decide what to do,” Mr Chapman said. “They can stop it.” In Brisbane the federation resolved to give itself the power to suspend any country from the Games if there was a gross breach of Gleneagles. Mr Roy Dutton, New Zealand's chief delegate, went so far as to bluntly describe an All Black tour of South Africa as sounding the death knell for New Zealand’s participation in the 1986 Edinburgh Games. But Mr Chapman used the

word “loose” to describe the code. Asked if that meant it was open to various interpretations he replied in the affirmative. “Certain items that were contrary to Gleneagles were spelt out at the meeting,” he said. “But I'm not sure just who is going to enforce the penalty." A protracted meeting of the federation was expected by Mr Chapman, but everything went through smoothly, and without acrimony. “New Zealand said they supported the code 100 per cent,” he said. “That’s in the minutes.” Brisbane was Mr Chapman’s seventh games, and he expressed the feeling that this big sporting festival w T as

going from strength to strength. The movement had survived threats of boycotts and appeared to be in good heart. “A very good indication of that is that while there was only one applicant to host the 1986 Games, there are four aspirants for the 1990 Games. And it is good that two of them, Zimbabwe and Kenya, are from the African continent, which has not held a Games." Auckland and Winnipeg, Canada, are the other contenders, and formal applications. which need the backing of the respective governments. must be made six months before the opening of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.