African Boycott Trips Zola Budd

Faced with a boycott by five black African nations, Commonwealth Games officials said Sunday that South African-born track star Zola Budd will not be allowed to compete in the 10-day competition, which starts July 24 at Edinburgh, Scotland.

The Commonwealth Games Federation, the games’ governing body, decided that Budd and South African-born swimmer Annette Cowley were ineligible under the Commonwealth constitution to compete for England.

The decision followed an announcement by Tanzania that it was joining four other African nations in boycotting the Commonwealth Games because of Britain’s refusal to support economic sanctions against South Africa’s apartheid government.

Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Uganda earlier withdrew, and there was concern that other African teams would join the boycott. There are 15 African nations in the Commonwealth.

Both Nigeria and Zimbabwe had specifically protested over the inclusion of Budd, the 20-year-old barefoot runner, on England’s team. Zimbabwe has not pulled out of the competition, but is among the countries thought to be considering a boycott.

It was announced that Budd and Cowley do not meet residency requirements, although both hold British passports. Budd received her passport in 1984, allowing her to compete for Britain in the Olympics. Cowley holds a British passport through her English mother and is a student at the University of Texas. Both women have been living in England.