Clogston Desires Granting of Visas To Russian Team

An angry Roy Clogston, athletic director of North Carolina State College, yesterday attacked the State Department's refusal to issue visas to a touring Russian basketball team. He said he would ask North Carolina's senators today to exert Congressional pressure on the Department to get the visas.

In addition, Clogston said N.C. State would volunteer to act as the official host to the visiting Soviet team. By doing this, he hopes the Amateur Athletic Union would finally extend an official invitation to the Russians. Up to now, because San Francisco promoter Frank Walsh directed the tour, the A.A.U. has withheld its approval, causing the State Department to hold back the visas.

Seeks to Apply Pressure

By seeing Senators W. Kerr Scott and Sam E. Ervin of North Carolina, Clogston hopes he can persuade them to apply pressure in the State Department, even if the A.A.U. Still refuses to sanction the tour.

The Russians, on the schedule planned by Walsh, are scheduled to open their tour at Springfield College, Dec. 1, and then play Harvard, Dec. 3.

In addition to Clogston's actions, Edward S. Steitz, the acting athletic director of Springfield College, also criticized the delay yesterday.

He said his college was looking forward to the visit by the Russians, since proceeds from the game are scheduled to go to the National Association of Basketball Coaches. The money would be used for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, scheduled for construction on the Springfield campus in a few years.