Glasnost for the Boomers

Press, 17 August 1987, Page 29

Glasnost for the Boomers

NZPA-AAP Perth The Soviet Union plans to spread a little glasnost around Australia’s basketball stadiums over the next week or so. The coach of the world’s No. 2 team, Aleksandr Golemskii, said their present tour was part of the country’s new policy of more open and friendly contact with the West. The Soviets, ranked No. 2 in the world, are using the six-match series against the Wang Superboomers as part of their build-up to reclaiming the world crown from the United States at the Seoul Olympics. But Mr Golemskii told a press conference on Saturday

that the politics of the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, played a part in the basketball team’s decision to making the long journey to Australia for the first time since the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. “In Russia there is a new Government and new political organisation,” he said. “My team’s visit is a little gift for this position of friendship and more contact.” Mr Golemskii said .he was pleased to see hundreds of Australians come to watch the Soviets practice for the opening match at the Perth entertainment centre. "That is contact with my country and that is good,” he said.

But the Russians’ good will is unlikely to extend to the Boomers on court as they seek to recover some prestige after losing the European championship to Greece eight weeks ago. Mr Golemskii blamed refereeing “mistakes” in the final seconds and a crowd of 17,000 "crazy” Greeks for the defeat but made it clear he is determined to maintain the awesome Soviet record against Australia. • The Russians will play four matches in New Zealand next week, ending with the second test match against New Zealand in Christchurch on August 28.