African nations boycott Montreal Olympics – archive, 19 July 1976

19 July 1976: More than 20 African and Arab countries withdraw from the Games in protest at New Zealand's sporting links with apartheid South Africa

The United Nations secretary-general, Dr Waldheim and the Commonwealth secretary-general, Mr Shridath Ramphal, last night urged African nations to end their boycott of the Olympic Games in Montreal.

In separate statements issued after a meeting at the UN headquarters in New York, they also called for efforts by the International Olympic Committee and all nations to resolve what Mr Ramphal called issues of legitimate concern to African and other States."