S. Africa Told Olympic Ban May Be Imposed

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30152, 8 June 1963, Page 5

S. Africa Told Olympic Ban May Be Imposed

d.Z P Ji.-Reuter—Copyright) , • LAUSANNE, June 7. The South African Olympic committee must show results in reducing racial segregation in sport if it wants to remain in the Olympic Games. The chancellor of the International Olympic Committee (Mr Otto Mayer) said this today after a two-day meeting between the 1.0. C. executive board and 24 international sports federations.

Mr Mayer said: “The South Africans must prove they have done what they can and that they have arrived at certain results in non-discrim-ination.

"The National Olympic Committee is very well intentioned—it wants to get rid of it (racial discrimination). “But what can you do when the Government is agains' you and the laws have been reinforced?”

Mr Mayer agreed with a questioner that the inclusion of some African boxers in the Olympic team was an example of the sort of progress which he had in mind. “But there must be a Government guarantee that they would be let out of the country," he said. The South African Olympic Committee has been asked to report on the racial problem to the 1.0. C. session in

Nairobi in September, which will decide whether South Africa should be suspended The Soviet Union has been given permission to try to get Indonesia back into the Olympic Games following her suspension last February.

The* executive board of the 1.0. C. yesterday accepted a mediation offer by Soviet representative. Mr Constantin Andrianov Mr Mayer said: “We welcome the offer and gave him a free hand—but only on his own account and not as an 1.0. C. representative.” He said that the door was always open to readmit Indonesia, indefinitely suspended for violation of Olympic rules in connexion with the fourth Asian Games in Djakarta last year. Mr Mayer said that the Indonesians could be readmitted tn time for the Tokyo Games if their national Olympic committee would express regret at the Djakarta incidents and give assurances of adherence to the Olympic ideals.