Amateur status loss wanted

Press, 15 April 1986, Page 1

Amateur status loss wanted

Wellington reporter

The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, suggested yesterday that the rugby players touring South Africa must lose their amateur status.

He said they must be regarded as professionals because any arrangements for their expenses could not have been approved by the New Zealand Rugby Union. Mr Lange also attacked the president of the South African Rugby Board, Mr Danie Craven, describing him as probably the most dishonest person one could meet in politics or sport. He said Dr Craven had misled the chairman of the New Zealand Rugby Council, Mr Ces Blazey, when Mr Blazey had

asked if the tour was on.

Asked if he felt the Government had discharged its responsibilities under the Gleneagles Agreement, Mr Lange said it had and that it could not have prevented the players from going.

It would be unfair for the Commonwealth to penalise the New Zealand team to the Edinburgh Games because of the tour, as it was not official and did not even have the blessing of the New Zealand Rugby Union, said Mr Lange.

Also, he said, it would be inconsistent if New Zealand alone were made to suffer, given the rebel Australian cricket tour to South Africa.