N.Z. Athletes Unlikely To Compete In U.S. Races

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31111, 14 July 1966, Page 17

N.Z. Athletes Unlikely To Compete In U.S. Races

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON. The chances of the New Zealand track and field team competing in Los Angeles at the end of this month on its way to the Empire Games are “extremely remote.”

The chairman of the Olympic and British Empire Games Association, Mr G. L. S. Cross, said yesterday that his association and the Amateur Athletic Association had had discussions with travel agents for a longer stopover in America but it could not be arranged.

The offer for the New Zealanders to compete against the American track and field team came after Russia withdrew from its annual meeting against the United States in Los Angeles on July 23-24 for political reasons. The Amateur Athletic Union of America cabled the Australian Athletic Union asking if a combined Austra-lia-New Zealand team could take the place of the Russians. The New Zealand games team is due to arrive in Los Angeles on July 23, but then it will split up and depart in two planes for Kingston. Mr Cross said that a longer stop-over was not possible and Australia had been informed that unless America was prepared to pay the cost of the 12-man New Zealand athletic team staying on in Los Angeles, the offer would have to be refused. Mr Cross said he was await-

ing a reply from America but because of “the very high cost” involved he doubted that the meeting would take place. “We would have been very keen to take part if it was at all possible," said Mr Cross. Australia's team would be available to compete in a meeting, the secretary of the Australian Athletic Union (Mr

A. Hodsdon) said in a report from Sydney. Mr Hodsdon said that he would ask American officials if the invitation would apply to an Australian team only if New Zealand were unable to accept. “Our athletes are most enthusiastic about the idea,” he said. The Australian team arrives

in Jamaica on July 20, and would make a 5500-mile trip to Los Angeles for the track meeting if agreement can be reached on its entry. A report from New York said that a four-nation meeting with teams from West Germany, Australia, New Zealand and the United States was being planned as a probable replacement for the cancelled visit by the Russian team.