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'Leave the wreaths in Greece'
Wellington - New Zealand's medal winning Olympic stars should just take a picture of their wreaths and leave them in Greece because they will not be allowed into the country, a government spokesperson said on Friday.
Each medal winner at the Athens Games has received wreaths made of olive branches, chrysanthemums and roses.
Agriculture Minister Jim Sutton's spokesperson said biosecurity was vitally important for New Zealand and the rules would not be bent.
"If they want to hold on to their memories they will have to take a picture," the spokesperson said.
Ministry of Agriculture biosecurity official Veronica Herrera said the wreaths would not get past border control.
"A lot of the material is still viable, so if you plant it and the conditions are right, they could develop roots and grow," she said.
"They could carry pests and diseases and that could be passed on to other plants."
A potted oak that New Zealand runner Jack Lovelock was given by Adolf Hitler after winning the 1 500m in the 1936 Berlin Olympics was brought home and planted at the Timaru Boys High School, south of here, where the tree still stands.
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