Zola Budd opts out

Press, 18 March 1988, Page 36

Zola Budd opts out

By

TONY VERDON in

London Zola Budd yesterday withdrew from the World Cross-Country Championships in Auckland rather than jeopardise the participation of other members of the British team. Her withdrawal avoided a confrontation between the International Amateur Athletics Federation and British athletics officials over the South Africanborn' athlete. The International Fedr eration had been about to force the British Amateur Athletics Board to drop Budd from'its team for the championships, to be held at Ellerslie next week.

Budd’s withdrawal came only hours before the British team was due to leave for New’ Zealand. At the home of her British coach, Mr John Bryant, she said: “The other athletes, including friends like Angela and Susan Tooby, would surely never forgive me if they were withdrawn by the British board because of my position." She had just spent half

ah hour with Mr Bryant, : discussing the I.A.A.F.’s moves to block her running in Auckland, and-also al last-minute counterthreat t>y the British ) that it! might withdraw' its' team in protest. • '. ! I I “I find such a prospect quite distressing and I feel that I must in Those circumstances put) my country first and for the slake of saving This event for them I must now withdraw myself from the British team,” said Budd, I But she icontimied to insist that she had not Contravened the rules of the I.A-A.F. by “taking part” in meetings in South Africa. “I have no intention of giving up athletics.” she said. “I will be ready to I answer, as I have done I already, all allegations if The I.A.A.F. say every- • thing has to wait until their council meeting in I London in April,” she said. • Budd's ■ withdrawal clears the way for a successful and uninterrupted meet. v " Zimbabwe and Ethiopia

had warnedi they would boycott the championships if Budd took! (part, while; Kenya had also I threat-; ened to join tljem An embarrassing standoff between I the 1.A.A.F.,anxious to avoid disruption and boycotts of the championship,! and the British athletics authorities. was I (avoided by Budd’s withdrawn . British I athletics com(mentators |l | described Budd’s withdrawal as a sensible decision, which would win future support from other I British athletes. * ' 11 ' © The Government yesterday expressed relief at Zola Budd’s I wi:hdrawtil from the Britis i crosscountry team! The Minister o Foreign Affairs, Mr| Mars rail, said while the! |. I Go' 'eminent made it cl'ealr it did not want an essentially South African runner qompeting in the Aucklhnd-based championships under ja passport of corvenience, “we did not believe it was a problem) that fell to the New Zealand Gcvernmdnt to resolve!” I 1 I. •