U.S. To Act On Ashe Visa Refusal

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32209, 30 January 1970, Page 15

U.S. To Act On Ashe Visa Refusal

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright)

WASHINGTON. “Americans will take vigorous action to exclude South Africa from the international family of tennis,” the president of the United States Lawn Tennis Association (Mr Alistair Martin) said yesterday. Hfe was commenting on the South African Government’s refusal of a visa to the American Negro player, A. R. Ashe, to play in the national championships. “It is a clear cz.se of racial discrimination and the rules of the international federation expressly prohibit this and any violation of these rules is grounds for expulsion.” i

A proposal by the United States, the present Davis Cup holder, calls for the appointment of a committee which would be given power to exclude any nation whose participation would endanger the competition. The proposal does not mention South Africa or Rhodesia. Poland and Czechoslovakia withdrew from cup ties against South Africa last year in protest at the country’s policies. Sports officials in Cape Town yesterday forecast further isolation of South Africa in international sport after the Government’s action. The decision, reached After a three-day meeting of the full Cabinet, meant almost certain exclusion of South Africa from the Davis Cup competition and probable expulsion from the International Lawn Tennis Federation, observers said. Mr Frank Waring, the Sports Minister, announcing the Government’s action, referred to Ashe’s general an-!

tagonism towards South Africa. His full statement was: “In terms of its stated policy in respect of interstate Davis Cup competitive matches, the Government will, in the event of South Africa being the venue for such a match, provide visas for the members of any visiting team, including Mr Ashe, in a Davis Cup team. “Mr Ashe’s general antagonism towards South Africa,

which is. reflected in statements which he made from time to time, and his reference to the fact that he was not interested in playing in South Africa as a member of the American Davis Cup team but that he wanted to compete in the South African national tennis championships as a private individual, make it clear that he is aware of the accepted practice in South Africa, and that his application is, in his own words, an

attempt, ‘to put a crack in the] racist wall down there.’ “Furthermore, Mr Ashe’s present desire to compete in South Africa cannot be reconciled with his active support of the move to exclude South Africa from the' Olympic Games in 1968. “It therefore follows that Mr Ashe’s application for a visa to compete in South African tennis championships cannot be acceded to.” The all-white South Afri-

can Lawn Tennis Union had accepted Ashe’s entry for the tournament and the United States Secretary of State (Mr William Rogers) personally supported his application. Mr A. Chalmers, president of the S.A.L.T.U. which discussed the implication of a visit by Ashe with Government officials, - said: “This decision of the Government will be a shock to all sporting bodies in South Africa, and at a time like this when we are wanting to build up good relationships with all countries. But I am afraid that now our relationships might deteriorate.” S. C. Drysdale, one of South Africa’s leading tennis players, who supported Ashe’s entry, said: “We are going to be kicked out of the Davis Cup. This will only be the immediate consequences.” Mrs Helen Suzman, the only member of the antiapartheid Progressive Party in Parliament, said: “This sounds the death knell for South Africa’s future participation in international sport." Not only South African sportsmen and teams, but any country which chose to ignore the general world attitude, would find themselves out in the cold, Mrs Suzman added.

Associated Press reported that at a news conference in Des Moines, lowa, before competing in the United States Davis Cup exhibition matches, Ashe said he was surprised that the visa was refused. “I thought I was doing South Africa a favour,” he said. “I’ve bent over back; wards to be nice to them—to the extent that some of the black militants back home think I’m nuts.. Now, I’ve given up hope o' ever going.”