League Tourists’ Policy On Apartheid Attacked

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30200, 3 August 1963, Page 13

League Tourists’ Policy On Apartheid Attacked

The comment by the manager of the South African Rugby League team (Mr 1. Benson) that the question of Maoris playing Rugby league in South Africa ’’was a matter for the South African Government and not the code,” was no contribution towards racial tolerance. Rather it condoned and acquiesced in his Government's policy, said the secretary of the Canterbury Association for Racial Equality i Mr K. Duffield) in a statement last night. Mr Benson’s remark was made in the full awareness that the South African Government denied the right of multi-racial teams to visit or leave South Africa, the statement said. ‘‘ln 1982 the International Olympic Committee found that racial discrimination was practised in South African sport. The South African Olympic Association was given notice to remove this racism by October. 1988. To date nothing has been done. Racism in the rigid form known as apartheid is ee rtfs as ever, and the white sport-

ing bodies have indicated that they ere not prepared to change their policies of discrimination. "Mr Benson te attempting to absolve the South African Rugby League, their fellow South African sports bodies, and our own New Zealand counterparts, from the responsibility of opposing racial discrimination. There can be no evasion of responsibility. If the South African Government makes sportsmanship possible by decree, no sport can be mid to exist, and the outside world will place South African sporting bodies in quarantine as long as the apartheid condition prevails. “It id most reassuring to be informed that while in New Zealand the tourists will condescend to stay egeinst our Maori brothers" the statement eaid. “If they wish to return to the foid of sportsmen, let them raise their voices atfstari racial discrimination Sportsmen all over the world trill applaud their courage and this association wHI certainly endorse their tours of Njew Zeeland”