N.Z. Athletes Have Nowhere To Run

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 19

N.Z. Athletes Have Nowhere To Run

“The Press” Special Serttce WELLINGTON. It now seems most unlikely that New Zealand’s Empire Games athletes will have international competition before appearing in Jamaica. Over the last month New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association officials have been making strenuous efforts to line up tours, but all now appear to have fallen through.

Th e association chairman, Mr H. I. Austad, said that the association “has been bending over backwards” to arrange a Scandinavian visit for top New Zealand athletes.

Yet in Auckland. W. D. Baillie had said that the N.Z.A.A.A. was “not with it” regarding this question, said Mr Austad. The association had even taken the most unusual step of sending a list of available athletes to Scandinavia in an

endeavour to get a firm invitation, he said. Unofficial communications have been received from Norway, but until an official invitation is received from a fellow member bedy of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, little can be done.

Even the suggested sojourn in the United States has fallen through.

The idea was that the athletic section of the New Zealand Games team might travel separately and have some good competition in California before going on to Jamaica. But when N.Z.A.A.A. offi-

cials spoke to their United States representative, Mr S. Eales, by telephone to Los Angeles it was found that the team was not wanted at that time.

Yesterday had been set by the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association as the date on u'hich it wanted to be informed of any possible deviations from the Jamaica I team.