SPORT LIST
through Parliament to 'reform’ the
Official Secrets Act of 1911. This,
stressed several of the seven speakers,
was not a party political issue. Labour are just as authoritarian on official secrets as the Conservatives. What is it about the changes to Section 2 of the Act which has caused such widespread, all-party concern?
The new bill’s scope is narrower than that of the present Act which protects all government information on any subject. It is also much more severe. If (or given the government majority) when it becomes law it will have two effects. Put very simply, it will make it easier for the government to prosecute people like Clive Ponting and Sarah Tisdall and it will prevent such people defending themselves by claiming that their action did more good than harm.
The sub-title of this Bill should be ‘The Anti Clive Ponting Jury Bill’, said Tam Dalyell. The unanimous verdict of not guilty by that jury was an affinnation of the belief that the interests of state are not necessarily the same as the interests of the government of the day. This Bill reverses that precedent: even if a disclosure reveals ‘crime, fraud, abuse of authority, neglect in the perform- ance of official duty, or other misconduct' a civil servant or journalist cannot claim that s/he acted in ‘the public interest’.
This is a complex issue and one, claimed Archy Kirkwood MP, which the Government is deliberately trying to confuse. At the Moir Hall, the call went up to take the issue to a wider public. The presence of two newspa-
per editors on the platform set the audience’s mind at rest, until Richard Shepherd revealed that on the first day of Parliamentary debate on the Bill, only one journalist stayed the course, the political correspondent of the
Guardian.
For further information on the Bill and the campaign against it, contact The Campaign for Freedom of Infor- mation, 3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H ODD. Tel: 01-278 9686. Rallies are taking place around the country throughout February.
GUITAR, WEAVING, SPANISH. COMPUTERS, DRAMA, THEOSDPHY, SINGING, ART, JAPANESE
TELL YOUNG SCOTLAND about it in The List CLASSIFIED,
ANTIQUES, HI-FI, BIKES, MATERNITY FASHION, CARS. FIREPLACES, MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
SPORT
I Sport is listed as diary: by sport. then by
, day. than by event.
BASKETBALL Saturday 11
CARLSBERG NATIONAL LEAGUE I MIM v Crystal Palace Forum Centre. Almondvale West. Livingston. 4pm.
Sunday12
CARLSBERG NATIONAL LEAGUE I MIM V Hemel Forum Centre. Almondvale West. Livingston. 4pm.
Ffiday17
UNDER 17 SCHOOLGIRLS INTERNATIONAL I Scotland V England Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Road. Edinburgh. 6.30pm.
Monday 20
I Robert Harkins v Andy Williams St Andrew‘s Sporting Club. Albany Hotel. Glasgow. 7pm. Members and guestsonly. With supporting bouts. Harkins is the current Scottish light welterweight champion; his opponent is a former Welsh champion.
Glasgow
I Race Days Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday. Shawfield Stadium. Rutherglen Road. Glasgow. There are ten races in each meeting. starting at 7.45pm. £2.
Edinburgh
I Race Days Tuesday. Thursday and Saturday. Powderhall Stadium.
Beaverhall Road. Edinburgh. Each meeting includes ll) races. startingat
SPORTS ACROBATICS
Gymnastics aficionados have a chance to see both the more conventional and the less orthodox areas of the sport this lortnlght, with the sports acrobatics event in LarlthaII on Saturday 11 , and, at Meadowbank the following Saturday, the junior lntemational match against Belgium.
The lonner event—the Carlta House British Regional Flnals- is in effect the Scottish championships, with winners progressing to the full UK iinals later in the year. Sports acrobatics should not be confused with rhythmic gymnastics, that decorous but futile prancing around with ball, ribbon or hoop. Strength and precision are the key requisites oi the sport which, uniquely in the gymnastics world, is perlonnod by pairs or trlos composed oi men, women or a mixture.
Each group has to perform three dllterent routines. While supporting and balancing worlr plays a major role in those routines, there Is also - especially in the palrs- a place for synchronised tumbling, which is
7.30pm. £2.51) Stand; £1 .50 Ground. Race programme free with admission.
FOOTBALL Saturday 11
PREMIER LEAGUE
I Celtic v Motherwell (‘cltic Park. Gallowgate. Glasgow. 3pm. Looking for not only two points but also a boost totheir goal difference. (‘eltic may have to settle for a narrow victory against their stuffy visitors.
I Dundee Utd V Rangers 'I‘annadice Park. 'l‘annadice Street. Dundee. 3pm. Acrucial match for both teams in the championship race: neither would be too dissatisfied with a draw. but whatever the result. it promises to be a nerve-wracking game.
I Hamilton v Aberdeen Douglas Park. Hamilton ( 100 yards Hamilton West station). 3pm. Out of the (‘up and almost out of the Premier League. the Accies players. most of whom may well be given free transfers at the end of the season. have little reason left to perform asa team. Pride should not be enough to get a result against a Dons side who still have a chance of the league title.
I Hearts V Dundee Tynccastle Park. Gorgie Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. The home side appear more settled now that (‘raig Levein is back. and a good run ofresults combined with a slump in the form oftheir city rivals l libs could still see them qualify for Europe. The back four — presuming the line-up stabilises as .Vcharen. McKinlay. McPherson and Levein — has a more adventurous and at the same time solid look to it than in the days when Kidd and Whittaker could each be relied on to do something suicidal each game. (That wasa metaphor. but there are many I learts fans who wish Walter and Roger had literally done something suicidal). Watch out too
The Scottish Sports Acrobatics Display Squad (photo: Alan Edwards).
perhaps the most exciting, and certainly the most dangerous, aspect of sports acrobatics.
The gymnastics the lollowlng week will be on the apparatus— bars, rlngs, vault, beam, horse and the floor— lamillar to most people from the Olympic games. (Stuart Bathgate)
for Scotland superstar Mike Galloway. whose idea of tactics is to launch his not inconsiderable bulk through the air at the ball whenever possible.
I SI Minen V Ribs Love Street. Paisley (5 mins from Gilmour Street station). 3pm. The most unpredictable team in the Premier League take on the season‘s most improved. Ilibs are favourites now to secure the fifth European place. which might be incentive enough for them to win today.
FIRST DIVISION
I Airdrie V Fortar Broomfield. Airdrie (5 mins Airdrie station). 3pm.
I Clydebanlt v Queen of the South Kilbowie Park. Clydebank (2 mins from Singer station). 3pm.
I Duniermline v St Johnstone East End Park. Halbeth Road. Dunfcrmline. 3pm. I Kilmarnocli v Clyde Rugby Park. Kilmarnock ( 1() mins from bus station).
3 m.
I Meadowbank Thistle v Raith Rovers Meadowbank Stadium. London Road. Edinburgh. 3pm.
I Morton V FaIItlrIt Cappielow Park. Greenock (5 mins (‘artsdyke station). 3pm. I Particlt Thistle V Ayr Firhill. Firhill Road. Glasgow. 3pm.
SECOND DIVISION
I Albion Rovers v Alloa Cliftonhill. Coatbridge (1(lmins Coatdyke station). 3pm.
I Dumbarton v Berwiclt Rangers Boghead. Dumbarton (10mins Dumbarton East station). 3pm.
I Stirling Albion v Arbroath Annfield. Stirling ( 10mins from stations). 3pm.
Saturday 18
SCOTTISH CUP FOURTH ROUND
I Celtic v Clydebanlt Celtic Park. Gallowgatc. Glasgow. 3pm. A harder task than their third round tie against Dumbarton. but (‘eltic won't lose too much sleep about this one.
I Hearts v Particlt Thistle Tynecastle Park. Gorgie Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. Thistle's victory in the last round was as much due to St Mirren‘s chronic ineptitude as it was to their own virtues. An averagely competent home performance will be enough to send Hearts into the draw for the quarter-finals.
I Hibs V Motherwell Easter Road Stadium. Albion Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. Another stern test of Hibs‘ growing self-confidence. this is the likeliest fixture to go to a replay.
I Rangers v Stranraer lbrox Stadium. Glasgow (2 mins lbrox underground). 3pm. Souness‘ squad will be able to relax a bit after their two ties with Raith. but. remembering the fright Stranraer gave Celtic in last year‘s third round. will be keen to put the visitors in their place early
I Meadowbank Thistle v Morton Meadowbank Stadium. London Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. Promises to be one of the more entertaining ties ofthe round, with Thistle hoping to salvage some pride from a dismal league season by having a good cup run.
SECOND DIVISION
I Dumbarton v East Fife Boghead. Dumbarton (10 mins Dumbarton East station). 3pm.
I Queen's Park v Albion Rovers Hampan Park. Glasgow (5 mins Mount Florida and King's Park stations). 3pm.
GYMNASTICS Saturday11
I Sports Acrobatics Avondale Sports Centre. Donaldson Road. Larkhall. 10am — 4.30pm. See panel.
Saturday 18
I Scotland V Belgium Meadowbank Sports Centre. London Road. Edinburgh. 2— 4.30pm. Junior men and women. See paneL
45 The List 10 — 23 February