NSW: Foreign marching bands to be let back in the Olympics

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-1999
NSW: Foreign marching bands to be let back in the Olympics

The controversial ban on American and Japanese marching bands performing at the Sydney
Olympics opening ceremony will reportedly be reversed this week.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper reports that in a major retreat by Games organisers, the
bands' contractor, American-based World Projects Corporation, will also be offered a
substantial sum to cover legal costs.

It says the plan has been hatched by Olympic power brokers.

The paper reports the Sydney organising committee will be asked to approve a new
international band comprising hundreds more Australians and more players from other nations.

The Americans and Japanese would be offered no less than the seven minutes they were
originally promised in the September 15 opening ceremony next year.

It says the last-ditch bid to resolve the marching band crisis would be finalised at a
special meeting of the board of the Sydney games organiser, SOCOG, on Wednesday night.

AAP RTV cf/bm/lm

KEYWORD: OLY BANDS (SYDNEY)

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