Death threat alleged

Press, 19 December 1989, Page 48

Death threat alleged

NZPA-AAP Melbourne The Victorian Weightlifting Association president, Sam Coffa, says he has received a death threat over his criticism of Athletics Australia for selecting a team of 85 athletes for next month’s Commmonwealth Games.

“I will be putting the matter in the hands of the police,” Mr Coffa said yesterday. “I and my family are taking it very seriously indeed.” Mr Coffa, who is also secretary of the Victorian fund-raising committee for the Games — which is chaired by a former Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser — said the threat was received late last week on his telephone recorder.

“It was between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Thursday or Friday — I can’t remember the exact day,” he said. “The threat was directed at me and my brother Paul. “The caller, who had an Australian accent, said words to the effect: ‘Keep your dirty hands away from athletics, you wog You don’t know anything about it ... We will;come and get you’.? He said he regarded this as a death threati s ; ; i “I take it, no other way.” ■ ? v Mr Coffa said he had also received messages on his fax machine which,;were relevant to the threats. ' “I’m putting'; together this material and putting ■■'it in the hands. of the police in the next day or tw0.?"..-..v • '. Mr Coffa said he did not regret criticising AA. for selecting a track and;field team of. 85 for the heart for the: athr; letes. hlanie v squarely theTeetof Athletics Austral&X,; v,, ■ Thp'Gstnes row between A.A. .tJieK Australian Commonwealth;' Games Association ■~biuke early, last week when A-A. ■ announced 5 a track and field, team .of JS&'.'IB more than 5 an' earlier agreement for 70. Since then A.A. and the A.C.G.A. have been at loggerheads. The Federal Sports Minister, Senator Graham Richardson, will meet with both groups at 10 a.m. today in an attempt to settle the dispute.