AIRPORT; GANGA WAITS; GANGA GREETS MEXICAN DELEGATES; GROUP ACROSS TARMAC; HOTEL DE VILLE; GANGA WITH DELEGATES IN FOYER; CONFERENCE ROOM AND OTHER DELEGATES; MR COREUTHIU SPEAKS; DELEGATES.




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Background: THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE AFRICAN SUPREME SPORTS COUNCIL (SCSA), M. JEAN CLAUDE GANGA, HAD TALKS IN BRAZZAVILLE ON FRIDAY (FEBRUARY 23) WITH MEMBERS OF THE MEXICAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ON THE DISPUTE OVER SOUTH AFRICA'S RE-ADMISSION TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES.

AND LAST NIGHT (SUNDAY) AFTER THE SCSA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, M. GANGA ANNOUNCED THAT THEIR DECISION WOULD BE POSTPONED.

THE MEETING WAS CONSIDERING WHETHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES SHOULD BOYCOTT THE MEXICO OLYMPIC GAMES IN OCTOBER.

SPEAKING BEFORE THE EXECUTIVE WENT INTO CLOSED EMERGENCY SESSION, MEXICAN DELEGATES ROBERTO CASELLAS, DR EDUARDO HAY AND ERNESTO MADEIRA SAID THAT BEFORE A DEFINITE DECISION WAS MAE IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO WEIGH " CALMLY AND FAIRLY " A NUMBER OF CONSIDERATIONS.

THE THREE MEXICAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE DELEGATES REMINDED THE EXECUTIVE THAT THEIR COUNTRY, HAVING ACCEPTED THE GAMES ACCORDING TO THE RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE. COULD NOT FAIL IN ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO MEET THEM. THEY ALSO REMINDED THE AFRICANS THAT MEXICO HAD ALWAYS MAINTAINED A POSITION OF FRANK AND CLEAR OPPOSITION TO THE DECISION OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE TO RE-ADMIT SOUTH AFRICA. THEY ALSO STATED THAT MEXICO HAD ALWAYS OPPOSED APARTHEID.

AT THE END OF YESTERDAY'S SIC-HOUR MEETING, M. GANGA SAID THE DELAY IN ANNOUNCING THE DECISION WAS DUE TO DIFFICULTIES OF TRANSLATION AND NOT TO DISAGREEMENT AMONG MEMBERS.

EIGHT OF THE 11 MEMBERS OF THE SPORTS COUNCIL'S COMMITTEE WEARING BRAZZAVILLE FOR THE MEETING. TUNISIA, GUINEA AND GHANA WERE NOT REPRESENTED, BUT SENT TELEGRAMS OF SUPPORT FOR ANY DECISIONS REACHED BY THE EXECUTIVE.

IN ADDIS ABABA YESTERDAY THE ORGANISATION OF AFRICAN UNITY (OAU) RECOMMENDED A BOYCOTT OF THE GAMES BY ITS 38 MEMBER STATES.