African Olympic boycott 'still likely’

Press, 21 April 1979, Page 6

African Olympic boycott 'still likely’

NZPA London A black African move to tip New Zealand out of the Olympic Games or to boycott Moscow because of New Zealand was still a possibility, said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) in London yesterday. He arrived in London after two days of talks in Lagos, the Nigerian capital and centre of African opposition to New' Zealand’s sports contacts with South Africa. He formed the impression after meetings with the president of the Supreme Council for Sport (Dr Abraham Ordia) and the country’s Minister for Labour, Youth and Sport, that the chance of a boycott remained. “New Zealand has a very bad name in Nigeria. 1 did not like being put in the position of having to qualify the fact that 1 was a New Zealander,” Mr Rowling said. He said he had a strong impression that Nigerians believed that while New Zealand was adhering to the letter of the Gleneagles Agreement, it was not adhering to the spirit. He said Nigerians wonderled why the Minister of Forieign Affairs (Mr Taiboys) was i saying one thing, why the Minister of Maori Affairs was saving another, and why the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) was saying nothing.

“They want to see clear support by the Prime Minister for Gleneagles,” Mr Row’ling said. “It’s no good trying to have 10 bob each way for domestic purposes and to be seen by the Africans to be having an each-way bet.” Mr Rowling said everything hinged on what the Government was seen to do —“and if it is seen to do different things, that is taken amiss in Africa.”

Mr Rowling said the Nigerians denied they were “picking on” New Zealand and said France was very much in their sights. “They want to tip France out of the Olympic Games if

South Africa sends its rugby team there this year.” Mr Rowling will spend five days in London, where he will see the Prime Minister (Mr Callaghan), the Commonwealth Secretary-General (Mr Shiridath Ramphal). and possibly other British Cabinet ministers. He will go to Europe on Wednesday for meetings with the president of the European Commission (Mr Jenkins), the Farm Commissioner (Mr Finn Olav Gundelach), and the West German President (Mr Scheel).