Hide Article Text (OCR)
SteveSollowaylilt- Uthh ti Scri fonjvttcnThe Soviet Union announced the expulsion of Israel, Argentina and Iceland from the country, thus prohibiting athletes from those three nations from competing in the 1980 Summer OlympicsA spokesman for the Communist government said Israel’scontinuing Zionist aggression against its Arab neighbors was the reason behind the move. Argentina was kicked out because of its harassment of Marxist guerrillas and Iceland because it denied the Soviet fleet access to fishing grounds.The International Olympic Committee protested but said the tGames would go on as planned in Moscow.Fact or fiction?To any intelligent observer, the above would have to be classified as fiction but in light of what has happened in Canada recently, the tangle of international sports with international politics defies intelligence.Someday, somewhere, amateur athletes around the world are going to finally tel! the governing sports bodies and world governments to stick this gigantic mess in their collective ears.Hopefully it will happen before 1980. Hopefully there will be no more Olympic Games as we know them today.aiTPlt;fl1mV,11 Tfia«nirbg t:Pi (IITHE TRAGEDY this year is not that the Taiwanese cannot ff| f/)£ dQfk compete under their own flag or name (the Republic of China).The tragedy is that because of national pride and politics the Taiwanese athletes have wasted four years of training and self? sacrifice unless their government turns around and permits them to compete,Forgotten in the midst of the Taiwan mess is the fact that Tanzania pulled out of the Olympics, because a New Zealand rugby team is touring white minority ruled South Africa.Now, Tanzania is certainly not an athletic power but they do have one Filbert Bayi, one of the world’s premier milers. With Tanzania’s decision, Bayi’s dream of further establishing himself in a world arena went up in smoke. His countless hours of hard work were for naught.An evening “all comer*” track meet took place Monday in Montreal as Olympians jump a hurdle during the running ofthe 3000 meter steeplechase. (UPI)tias:Canadian people oppose VJohn Walker of New Zealand, Bayi’s chief rival is also anxiously reading the newspapers. If the African nations, with enough support from other Third World countries can force the IOC into kicking New Zealand out of the Games, Walker will suffer also.govprnmpnl doci^ionetis■ulisBy WTt.T. GRIMSLEYWalker is the world record holder in the mile, Bayi the world record holder in the 1500 meters, the metric equivalent to the mile.ALSO, IN LIGHT of all that has transpired, certain American politicians have said that this country‘should reconsider participation in this year’s Olympics. That is a lofty and idealistic statement to make but ask the American athletes what theychink.MONTREAL (AP) - If Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau had put the issue to a vote of his people, Taiwan would be marching behind its colors in next Saturday’s opening parade and Canada would keep its political nose out of the Olympic Games.Ask the American athlete, particularly those in the nonglamor sports such as weight lifting, rowing, boxing, volleyball -and-sueh. Ask the athlete who is not sponsored by the state and must manage to support himself and perhaps a family while finding the right job that will give him enough free time to practice.A broad-based sampling of opinion along Rue St. Catherine and in teeming Phillips Square Tuesday showed people predominantly in favor of letting the Republic of China compete in the twb-week international festival.Among the comments: “Stupid mistake.”“As bad as Adolph Hitler.” “Canada is influenced by the People’s Republic of China (mainland China, with 800 million people) because of its wheat deals.”“It will just give Russia ideas for 1980.”Jack de Niverville, a candy company representative, said the Canadian government was playing footsie with Communist China because of wheat deals and termed it a stupid mistake.”wheat deals,” he said. “It’s almost as bad as Hitler injecting Germany’s aryan supremacy policies into the 1936 Games in Berlin.”Ask him to forget those four years of sacrifice because, his country, right or wrong, wants to take a political stand.Athletes are individuals who happen to have special skills. They should not be treated as pawns. If the Olympic Gaines are supposed to be free of politics, then athletes should be treated as competitors first and citizens of a particular country second.By a margin of 10-1, persons interviewed by The Associated Press said the governmenthad no right to deprive the little island of 16 million a chance to take part, as it has for years, in the Olympics and sharply criticized political interference in sports.“China needs our wheat mere-than we need their friendship,” he said. “We should not compromise our principles of fair play.”Andre Tanguay, 45, a tire company executive, shrugged his shoulders and said, “Idon’t care what they do aslong as it doesn’t hurt Montreal.” Ralph Hartenberg, 24 a coffee delivery man, defended Canada’s action, saying, “The two Chinas are fighting theirpolitical battles on Canada’s back.” Joyce Stevens, 19, said, “It’s all a political game—it’s nonsense.” -Dave Carriere, 21, a sales clerk, said the governmentshould have washed its handsof the problem.“It is obvious Red China put pressure on us with thoseIn a last-minute action that rocked the Olympic hierarchy, the Canadian government decided that Taiwan, a member of the IOC for years, could not compete in the Games unless it discarded its designation as “Republic of China,” its national colors and anthem.Taiwan refused.The IOC,’sharply critical of Canada's stance, capitulated to the host country and announced there would be no boycott of the Games.Kent Oscewski, 16, and his brother, Craig, 15, relaxing on the grass of Christ Church Catherdral, agreed that Taiwan should be allowed to take part but said the People’s Republic of China also should be admitted,“The names they use shouldmake no difference,” Kent said. “Everybody should be in the Olympics.”One of the most lucid ahlTyses came from a holidaying visitor, Fran Clark, 28, of Rock Island, 111.“It’s a shame that people look Into'the athletes’ heads instead of recognizing their excellent athletic skills and training,” she said. “Polities should be left to the legislative halls.”tlScfhh}~Cr8CcVi:yThere have been suggestions as to how' to revamp the Olympics. Change should begin with the banning of national flags and te»ms- as such and doing away with medal founts.Why should someone care what country leads in the number of gold medals won? Let’s focus more attention on the individuals and the individual events.The athletes should be known as Olympians, not Americans, Russians or Chinese.t )lytrijiioiis nit t f lt;iv*r /iutilt;niul///istBy DAN BERGERGro11!) requestsU.S. blacksto |)ll outSACRAMENTO’Calif. (AP) — The Sacramento Bee quoted an anonymous source Tuesday as saying representatives of about 30 countries will ask the blacks on the U.S. Olympics team to pull out of the games.The story reported that the source said “a traumatic political experience” could result.The story said black Americans will be asked Wednesday in Montreal by the Supreme Council For Sports, which represents black African nations, “to follow Tanzania’s lead and follow the black African countries in pulling out.” “Tanzania’s lead” referred to that country’s protest against the New Zealand rugby team’s tour of South Africa just jtfter 170 Africans were killed in race riots in Soweto.MONTREAL (AP) — If you’re an athlete in the Olympic Village you needn’t be multilingual to get around in the fastest of social circles. In fact, the only word you need to know is “change.”It’s the same game that was played by thousands in 1968 at Mexico City and in 1972 at Munich. But it’s more sophisticated now.The game involves swapping national pins. And one need not stand on formality, either. Just approach someone, anyone, and say, “Change?” And instantly your new-found friend produces a handful pf colorful lapel pins, some so small they’re no bigger than a button, others big enough to act as a belt buckle.In 1972 the United States team was virtually shut out of the change game because team members were not givenany pins to trade. If you wanted to get into the game, you had to buy an American flag pin for 75 cents and then trade it for, perhaps, a pin with a picture of Nikolai Lenin on it which might be mistunderstood by your neighbors back home.In 1976, however, each American athlete received a huge packet of 50 or more U.S.team pins with which to trade and now Americans, in the true democratic sense, are shrewd bargainers and -entrepeneurs.In fact, Americans have been known to trade for one nation’s pins only to turn around and trade it for a higher valued pin of still another nation.The emerging nations of Africa appear to have some of the more attractive pins, some of them based on cultural history new to American athletes. Thus pins of Senegal, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia and Kenya are being hunted by avid pin collectors.Other monogramed articles including clothing, caps, satchels and even scarfs, are also being traded.O. J. hiny changmindif right trad^ happensLOS ANGELES (AP) — Superstar O. J. Simpson has said he intends to play football just one more year, but the Buffalo Bills running back indicated Tuesday that some factors— like being traded to the Los Angeles Rams and playing on a championship team —could change his decision.more years. That’s still my plan, but a lot of things could change that.”Bills owner Ralph Wilson Jr. said Tuesday that they would ask Simpson if he will allow them to try Co negotiate a trade for him with teams in New York, Washington, Miami or other “so-called glamor” National Footballhim to a West Coast team and this we have done. But it would help immeasurably if we could broaden the market.“It would help Simpson and it would help the Bills, who would like the new players in camp as quickly as possible. And keeping O J. in the game would help football.”
Newspaper Details
Kennebec Journal
Augusta, Maine, US
Wed, Jul 14, 1976
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
WV, USA 06 May 2020
Other Publications Near Augusta, Maine
Daily Kennebec Journal
Kennebec Journal
