Track and Field

South Africa’s top track and field athletes, despairing over their squabbling officials, threatened to mount their own bid to enter international competition in time for the world championships in Tokyo next month. The athletes, angry about a decision by officials to turn down an invitation to the Tokyo meet, refused to give details after a closed meeting. But they said there could be a strong backlash.

The athletes were angered by a decision of the South African Amateur Athletics Assn., which voted Saturday not to go to Tokyo. That decision might endanger South African participation in the Olympics in Barcelona.