Request surprises Roy Dutton

Press, 30 March 1989, Page 18

Request surprises Roy Dutton

PA Wellington The former Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association chairman, Roy Dutton, said yesterday he was “astounded” at being asked to withdraw his nomination for president.

Two nominations for the position have been received — Mr Dutton and the former Governor-General, Sir David Beattie — and will be voted on at the N.Z.O.C.G.A.’s annual meeting in Wellington next month.

Mr Dutton said his nominator, Bruce Ullrich, had been

asked if he would like 24 hours to reconsider his position. “I wasn’t angry,” Dutton said from his Paraparaumu home yesterday. “But I was astounded to have it suggested that I might withdraw."

He was unwilling to say more on the subject, adding that his point had been made. “It would be foolish to make any speculation on why this has happened,” he said. Mr Dutton, who has been on the N.Z.O.C.G.A.’s executive for more than 30 years and was chairman until last

year, said he had no objection to Sir David Beattie’s nomination and would not be upset at losing a two-way vote. The position of president has opened after the resignation of long-serving incumbent, Sir Lance Cross, who said he was standing down for health reasons.

Sir David has been nominated by Sir Lance, with the N.Z.O.C.G.A. secretary-gen-eral, Tay Wilson, the seconder.

Sir Lance said he had no idea why Mr Dutton had been asked to reconsider his posi-

tion. “I don’t know anything about it," he said.

Although Sir David was not a member of N.Z.0.C.G.A., Sir Lance said he had a longstanding interest in the association. Sir David was also a founding member of the Sports Foundation and was still on the board. Sir Lance said N.Z.O.C.G.A. and the Sports Foundation were working “much more closely” together now in the areas of financing some of New Zealand’s top athletes and getting international experience./l