SPORT IN S.A.

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32265, 7 April 1970, Page 7

SPORT IN S.A.

Integration Ruled Out (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) CAPE TOWN, April 5. The Prime Minister of South Africa (Mr John Vorster) has indicated he will not give way to demands that South Africa desegregate sport, the Assbciated Press reports. "No-one has done more to keep the traditional sporting ties of South Africa than I,” he told a political rally. “I went out of my way. and I will go out of my way in the future, because I value i those ties and 1 am a sportsman myself, but . . . no-one should expect me to knuckle down to the demands of Communist countries anywhere." | He said that the reason why i South Africa was barred frmn the 1970 Davis Cup tennis tournament was not because she refused a visa tu a United States Negro player. Arthur Ashe, but because "the Communist countries Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Rumania —refused to play with us.” They wanted “mixed sport in South Africa in all spheres—school sports, tennis, cricket,” he said. He asked his audience: “Do you want to open your tennis clubs to people of all colours?” When several listeners shouted “yes,” he retorted: i “Why haven’t you done it? (You have had plenty of time | to do it.” : Also in Cape Town Dr iDanie Craven, counselled the [country’s politicians to be cautious when expressing their view on the coming All ’ Black Rugby tour of South i Africa. j Dr Craven, president of the 1 South African Rugby Board, isaid in his annual report: I “Too many irresponsible things have already been said {and each time it places us in a very difficult position.”