British athletic officials denied newspaper reports that...

British athletic officials denied newspaper reports that Zola Budd will not be welcome when she competes in a meet in Edinburgh, Scotland, next Sunday.

The Times of London said that anti--apartheid banners would be hung inside the stadium and that Budd would not be allowed to attend an athletes’ reception.

But Andy Norman of the British Amateur Athletics Board said that the teen--age runner would not be deterred by possible anti--apartheid moves and would go ahead with her debut appearance in Scotland.

Kentucky basketball Coach Eddie Sutton has apparently turned down an offer to coach the New Jersey Nets.

“They did contact him,” Brad Davis, Kentucky’s sports information director said. “But he told them, “Thanks, I’m flattered, but I have the best job in basketball.”

Sutton is in the first year of a five--year contract reportedly worth $400,000 annually.

The Nets who were recently turned down by Villanova’s Rollie Massiminio denied making any offer to Sutton, according to Nets owner Bernie Mann. “I have no idea about Sutton. I did not call him.”

Barred from leaving for South Africa before a court challenge to a tour is settled, the New Zealand Rugby Football Union announced Monday in Wellington that it was canceling the two--month trip, which was scheduled to start Friday.

The action, totally unexpected in South Africa, apparently slammed shut a door that South Africans thought they had finally managed to open out of their international isolation in sports. Two other rugby tours, arranged for next year are now seen as unlikely.