When a Russian says boycott . . .

Press, 23 April 1984, Page 17

When a Russian says boycott . . .

NZPA-AP Moscow The Soviet Union’s refusal to apply the word “boycott” to the question of competing in the Olympics Games has had Western correspondents consulting dictionairies and debating what word to use in writing about the issue. Mr Marat Gramov, the chairman of the Soviet National Olympic Committee and head of the Government sports committee, said yesterday that a decision on whether a Soviet team would go the Games had not yet been made.

He insisted that refusal to

attend would not constitute a “boycott,” however. “We never use the word ‘boycott’ and we will never use it,” he said. “We make a distinction between boycotting and not attending." Webster’s New World Dictionary defines boycott as “1. To join together in refusing to deal with, so as to punish, coerce, etc. 2. To refuse to buy, sell or use (to boycott a newspaper).” Boycott, an English word, has come into the Russian language. Russian dictionaries define it as “1. A method of political and economic

struggle resulting in the ending of any relations with, or complete ignoring of, a State, organisation, establishment, or individual person. 2. The ending of relations with someone in a sign of protest.” Western diplomats in Moscow said the the ambiguity of Mr Gramov’s remarks meant there was little chance Moscow would stay away from the Olympic Games. Other officials said an 800-member Soviet Olympic team — sportsmen, trainers, journalists, and others —

was preparing for all the events it had qualified for.

Mr Gramov denied the Soviet approach to the Los Angeles Olympics was a reprisal for the United States boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

“We have never taken revenge against anyone," he said, “and we are not going to do it in the future."

Mr Gramov yesterday repeated Soviet complaints that Washington was violating the Olympic charter. ’His main complaint was the entry requirements for Soviet Olympic staff set

down by the Reagan Administration. The Administration has complained that Moscow's choice of chief Olympic delegate was a notorious K.G.B. agent.

The Russians then accused the Americans of commercialising the Games, of mounting an anti-Soviet campaign that threatened the lives of Soviet participants, and of imposing special visa requirements on them. The International Olympic Committee in Lausanne will consider the Soviet complaints on April 24.