Sport in brief

Press, 15 September 1989, Page 40

Sport in brief

Rugby tour cancelled The Springboks’ rugby tour of South America has been called off, the South African Rugby Board announced yesterday. The S.A.R.B. president, Dr Danie Craven, nailed rumours that a full Boks side was to tour, but General Manager Pietman Retief told AFP a junior tour was likely. He said there was an outside chance a multi-racial junior side could tour Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay as early as October, with an open-ended invitation from the SARB’s South American counterparts.—NZPA-AFP Zico shines A former Brazilian international, Zico, shined yesterday as South America beat Europe, 3-1, in the World Cup Masters Soccer tournament in Tokyo. In the competition for former World Cup players, South America began the scoring in the seventh minute when 33-year-old Jorge Valdano, of Argentina, received a pass from Zico and shot into the net. The South Americans took a 2-0 lead shortly before half-time when the 36-year-old Zico scored, while Mario Kempes, of Argentina, got their third goal five minutes into the second half. West Germany’s Karl-Heinz Rummenige averted a European shutout with a last-minute goal.— NZPA-AP Zurbriggen to quit Pirmin Zurbriggen, of Switzerland, the outstanding skier of his generation, is to retire at the end of the season. The 26-year-old Olympic downhill champion will leave the World Cup stage after the closing weekend of the season at Are, in Sweden, next March. Zurbriggen is to marry his long-time girlfriend, Monika Julen, on September 30 and the Swiss coach, Karl Freshner, has allowed the skier a few days off from training for his honeymoon. His farewell appearance will come in a 16-man parallel slalom, against the overall World Cup holder, Marc Girardelli, Alberto Tomba and the just retired Ingemar Stenmark, at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana on March 31.—NZPA-AFP Ban for boxing? The International Olympic Committee chairman, Antonio Samaranch, said in an interview published yesterday that boxing will be banned from the Olympics if hazards to the health of athletes were proven. In an interview with Rome’s sports daily, “Corriere dello Sport,” he said 12 medical centres were studying if boxing posed risks for practitioners both in training and actual fights. “If the outcome of the research is that (boxing is hazardous to health), and if I am still in charge at 1.0. C., boxing will be cancelled from Olympic sports," said Mr Samaranch.—NZPA-AP Money for interviews The former world tennis number one, John McEnroe, has set a price of £40,000 ($110,000) to any journalist wanting to interview him during an exhibiton match with the Swedish tennis champion, Stefan Edberg, in London. The Privilege Challenge is a sell-out at the London Arena with 6000 spectators paying up to £25 ($6B) a ticket to watch the former Wimbledon champions. McEnroe, who was a semi-finalist at the All England Championships in July but was knocked out of the opening rounds of the United States Open a week ago, has demanded the £40,000 fee. The event’s spokeswoman, Caroline Turner, confirmed to several newspapers yesterday that the American wanted the figure for “a lengthy interview.” A 8.8. C. programme, “Sportsnight,” had wanted to talk to McEnroe but a spokesman said the station would not be paying that “exorbitant amount.”—NZPA-AAP Ski-ing postponed Warm weather has forced postponement of the giant slalom men’s event at the national ski championship at Whakapapa. A decision will be made early today whether racing will go ahead. Racing on Wednesday was cancelled because of the weather conditions which made the ski tracks very slushy.—PA

Inside sport: Pages 26, 27