Soviets Intend to Participate in Seoul Olympics, Official Says

The Soviet Union’s sports minister said today that his country intends to participate in the Summer Olympics in South Korea, and that a final decision is expected next week.

Marat Gramov, the sports minister and chief of the Soviet National Olympic Committee, said a final decision will come at a meeting of the committee, to be held Jan. 11 or 12.

But he emphasized at a news conference, “We do not intend to boycott the 1988 Seoul Olympics.”

The Soviet statement appeared to clear the way for all Soviet Bloc countries to compete in the Summer Games starting in September.

Last month, East Germany and Hungary became the first Soviet Bloc countries to announce their participation. The official deadline for accepting invitations to the Games is Jan. 17.

Gramov spoke at the start of a six-day visit to West Germany that will include talks with sports officials.

Gramov said Soviet athletes are “seriously preparing” for both the winter and summer games. The Winter Games will be held at Calgary, Canada, next month.

The United States and many Western countries boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics in protest against Soviet intervention in Afghanistan. All Soviet Bloc nations except Romania boycotted the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, claiming that they were not given sufficient security guarantees for their athletes.