Zealand Rowing Association was opposed to
the boycott but nonetheless withdrew its team.
>
“I think the rowing association was being
threatened and our sponsors were threatened,”
says Holland. “Public servants were worried that
they’d lose their jobs.”
Holland had planned to stop rowing after Moscow,
something his then wife supported. “With the
boycott I said I wanted to carry on [rowing]. That
played a part in the end of my marriage.” As it
turned out, Holland hurt his back and had to stop
rowing that year anyway.
Wilson believes the pressure put on athletes by
the police was nonsense. “I think it was more scare
tactics,” says Wilson who remembers an incident
when the police blew up a parcel delivered to one
of the cyclists on the Olympic team which turned
out to actually be his Olympic uniform.
“I was met by the police to inform me not to open
any parcels as they may be bombs,” says Holland.
“All of our partners and families were also visited
by the police and warned of possible threats. My
memory was that public opinion was not that
strong for the boycott.”
Despite the pressure, Wilson still went to Moscow
with four athletes. “We were there housed
in accommodation for the whole team (for
160 athletes and administrators) and still given
the six assigned interpreters.” Wilson remembers
the Russian public being very friendly and tells
of one New Zealand athlete who, whenever he
wanted to go into town, would just flag down
any Russian car and get a ride.
“I was lucky enough to go again in 1984,” says David
Rodger, who was selected for the men’s eight. “They
named the teams [in 1980] but we were never
acknowledged as an Olympic team. There was no
recognition. It’s taken 30 years to get over the politics.”
The New Zealanders in Moscow walked in the
opening ceremony under, not the New Zealand
flag, but one that had the Olympic rings, a silver
fern and a black background. Wilson walked in the
opening ceremony without one athlete: kayaker
Ian Fergusson did not take part as he was told his
family back in New Zealand would be under threat
if he showed himself.
The New Zealand Olympic banner
that was carried during the
Opening Ceremony of the 1980
Olympic Games. Displayed here
at the NZOC Museum on the
occasion of the Moscow Olympic
Games 30 Year Reunion held at
the Olympic Museum Gallery on
3 September 2010 in Wellington,
New Zealand.
Tay Wilson was the chef de mission for the New Zealand
team. He remembers the rowing team being told that
the government had come up with an alternative
competition. The government would pay for a tour
of Europe which included an international race in
The FISA Centenary Book puts it bluntly: “Those
who stayed away were wrong.”
