Boycott threatened

Press, 10 March 1984, Page 27

Boycott threatened

PA Adelaide The Australian Journalists’ Association has threatened a total boycott of race meetings if there is a repeat of last month’s incident when a reporter was ejected from a race course. Melbourne’s Sporting Globe trotting writer Danny Power was ordered to leave Adelaide’s Globe Derby Park during the IntefDominion Trotting Championships on February 25. The incident occurred after Mr Power refused to answer questions at a stewards’ inquiry, which was called after he reported in the Globe that some runners in the heats for this year’s Inter-Dominion took it easy. The South Australian branch secretary of the AJA, Bill Rust, said yesterday he had written to the chief steward of the South Australian Trotting Control Board, Alan Broadfoot, registering the union’s strong objection. Mr Rust said in the letter that although Mr Power had attended the steward’s inquiry, he decided not to answer questions after advice from his employers and a solicitor.

He said Mr Power could also have been in breach of the AJA’s code of ethics if he had answered any questions.

“We would appreciate receiving your unequivocal assurance that there will not be any repetition in future of the ordering off incident which occurred on Saturday, February 25,” Mr Rust said in the letter. ’’Failing receipt of such an assurance, this association may have to consider advising members covering sporting events to boycott them if action is taken to order any member off course in the future.”