Planned May S.A. tour causes ‘war’ in France

Press, 17 February 1983, Page 10

Planned May S.A. tour causes ‘war’ in France

NZPA London A war of words has begun between the French Rugby Federation and the Socialist Government of President Francois Mitterrand over the proposed Tricolours’ tour of South Africa in May.

The Government is unlikely to reveal its full intentions about the tour until after next month’s municipal elections but it has already announced its belief, that the proposed tour clashes headon with France’s bid to stage the Olympic Games in 1992. A rugby tour to South Africa would ruin France's Olympic prospects, said Mr Andre Llanes, a high-ranking official in the Sports Ministry, recently. If that was the case, said the Rugby Federation's president, Mr Albert Ferrasse, in response, the Government ought to stop the state-owned Renault car company sending its Formula One team to race in

the South African grand prix. Mr Ferrasse has already offered to make the tour unofficial by sending the team out as a President's XV.

“There is nothing to stop us going as wine salesmen and playing a little rugby to enjoy ourselves," he said. Mr Ferrasse is firmly entrenched. His term of office runs until 1984, when he will stand again, and the Government has little real leverage over him.

The federation does not receive direct. grants from the Government and profits from internationals, and a contract with a well known sports equipment firm makes it relatively independent. But as a registered sports association, it enjoys considerable tax allowances and other indirect aids such as training facilities and special travel rates which are at the discretion of the Ministry of Sport under a law dating

back to 1901. However, the Government is in a delicate legal position and would probably be unwilling to create a precedent by withdrawing the aids.

One subtle change in the Government's tactics has been to put the question of a decision on the tour back into the hands of the Sports Ministry.

The Foreign Ministry had taken over but it was felt that that smacked too much of political intervention.

Officials now say that the Sports Minister, Mrs Edwige Avice, will issue a statement “at an appropriate time."

With the Government not doing too well according to the pollsters, they will probably not wish to add to their troubles with the rugby-lov-ing south-west by revealing their intentions before the local government elections.