S.A. Asks To Enter Empire Games

Press, Volume C, Issue 29521, 24 May 1961, Page 8

S.A. Asks To Enter Empire Games

(A .2 F-A.-KSUtsr—Conpr'aH I LONDON, May 22. A request from sports organisations in South Africa to compete at the Empire Games in Perth in 1962 will be considered by the advisory committee of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games Federation.

South Africa will cease to be a member of the Commonwealth when It becomes a republic at the end of this mnnfh

month. Newspapers in London' said the secretary of the federation (Mr S. Duncan) expected the request after a recent visit to Johannesburg on his | way to inspect games preparations at Perth. An "‘Evening News” sports writer said Mr Duncan was told by the South African Commonwealth Games Association that it wants to j send a team to Perth. "This request will be i considered by the advisory committee.” he said. Mr Duncan had been] told that South Africa was keen on continuing in the games federation, if only as an Associate member. j He expected to reteive soon an appeal from | the South Africans. Copies of the appeal be distributed to all 39 members of the federation. An “Evening Standard” sports writer said every member country of the federation had a representative in London who sat on the advisory committee. These representatives would be advised how to vote when the case was considered at a meeting, perhaps in two or three months. The writer said South Africa would have to present its case carefully. On the question of apartheid, the International Olympic Committee had been given an assurance that any coloured runner who was good enough would be considered for the South African team. In spite of all that, the chances were that the Commonwealth countries would

i decide it was against the . constitution of the federation . to include the South Africans ’ and that they must not *x--1 pect to "get the best of both If