STOCKHOLM, Reuter:‘ The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), are considering rule changes designed to make it more difficult for South African athletes to switch nationalities and compete internationally.

IAAF Swedish Vice President Aren Ljungqvist told Reuters on Friday proposals had been drawn up and could be considered as early as next month.

The move follows the controversy surrounding South African born runner Zola Budd, granted British citizen and the right to compete internationally within two weeks in 1984 and now alleged to have violated [AAF rules by participating in Athletics meeting in her native Republic last year.

Black African nations are threatening to boycott September’s Seoul Olympics in Budd and other South African born athletes who they claim are competing under passports of convenience go to South Korea.

Ljungqvist said the new rules would require South Africans to live in their adopted countries for two or three years before being allowed to compete internationally.

“The purpose is to avoid Zola Budd cases in the future”, he said.

Earlier this month, the IAAF re” commended that the British Amateur Athletic Board (BAAB) ban Budd for 12 months following claims that she was involved in meetings in Brakpan and Randfontein.

Budd is currently under suspension while a committee of inquiry set up by the BAAB last weekend investigators her eligibility to continue representing Britain.

The Supreme Council for sport in Africa (SCSA) said earlier this week that it was against all South African born athletes being allowed to compete internationally after switching nationalities.

Ina statement aimed at Americans ‘Sydney Maree and Mark Platies and Switzerland’s Cornelia Buerki — All South African born athletes chasing places in Seoul —— SCSA General Secretary Lamine Ba said: “We condemn all passports of convenience”.

 

He added: “Our position is clear. No runner from South Africa can participate in the Olympic Games or international events like that, we ask the IAAF to follow its own rules”.

Ljungaqyist said the proposals, drafted by the IAAF office in London, are scheduled to be considered at the next council meeting at Seoul in September. But he said they could be discussed at an extraordinary council meeting which may be called late in May.

South Africans are currently allowed to switch nationalities within weeks because the Republic is suspended by the IAAF because of its apartheid (racial segregation) policies.

‘The proposed rule changes would bring South Africans into line with athletes from the rest of the world who at present have to fulfil a three year residential qualification before being allowed to represent a new nation.

Ljungayist said he thought the 1AAF council would eventually adopt the changes: “I expect a majority in favour of the proposal,” he said.

The Swede also said the IAAP stood firmly behind its threat to stop British athlete’s participation in Seoul unless the BAAB complies with its recommendation to ban Budd.

“Suspending a member federation would be a unique, unprecedented move, but it is a clear possibility,” he said.

COCHIN: The International Tennis Federation has imposed a one year Davis Cup ban on India for their refusal to play Israel in this year’s relegation playoff.

This was learnt here on Sunday during of the annual general meeting of the All India Tennis Association.

ITF, according to AITA sources, has been quite lenient with India. It is understood that ITF has decided against imposing a $10,000 fine on AITA for not playing the playoff.

Further, ITF has decided to give India the $80,000 loser’s prize money, a sum which could have been withheld. Also, India’s entries for the Olympic Games tennis event have not been scratched.

According to Mr. R.K. Khanna, the newly elected secretary he hoped to get the one year ban on India waived at the ITF executive meeting in Paris in May.

MOSCOW, Reuter: Organizers of the 1986 and 1990 Goodwill Games on Monday signed an agreement to extend the international competition into 1994 and 1988,

The agreement was signed in Moscow during a live satellite television broadcast by Robert Wissler of the US. Television company Tumer Broadcasting System (TBS) and Anatoly Kolesoy, Deputy Chairman of the Soviet State Committee for sport.

The 1986 Goodwill Games in Moscow involved some 3,000 athletes from more than 50 countries and brought together leading Soviet and US athletes for the first time for 10 Yeats in a major multisport event following the 1980 and 1984 Olympic boycotts.

But the event proved to be a commercial failure

Article extracted from this publication >> May 6, 1988