Ashe fails to get S.A. visa

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32541, 26 February 1971, Page 9

Ashe fails to get S.A. visa

(NAS.PJi.’Reuter—Copyright) CAPE TOWN, February 25. South Africa has turned down a visa application from the American Negro tennis star, Arthur Ashe, for the third time.

Ashe’s application, to enable him to play in the South African open championships in Johannesburg in April, was widely regarded as one of the last hopes of easing South Africa’s growing sports isolation.

I But the Interior Minister ! (Mr Theo Gerdener) dashed ! this hope last night with a one - sentence statement, 1 which said: “The application of Mr Arthur Ashe was again considered, and in view of : the fact that he is still per- • sona non grata, his applica- ■ tion was not granted.” The decision is certain to > cause another world-wide ■ row and critically imperil . South African sporting ex- ' cursions abroad. The open tennis championships themselves have been hard hit by last year’s refusal to allow Ashe to enter the country, and only one top world star—the Australian veteran, Ken Rosewall—has entered this year. Several top entrants withdrew from last year’s tournament in protest against the refusal to grant ’ Ashe a visa. • The organiser of the chamC ionships held at Johannesurg’s Ellis Park, Mr Owen Williams, said that he was ' very disappointed at the de- ' cisibn and said it seriously i threatened future champion- • ships. “I thought he (Ashe) had done enough and guaranteed • enough to get in, and we had more to gain in every way from having him here,” he said. South African sportsmen fear that the decision not to let the Negro star into the ; country will mean virtually , the end of their competition 1 in international sport. They now hold out no hope I of re-entering the Davis Cup tennis competition unless

there was some radical change in South African policies. The country has had attempts to enter the Davis Cup for the last two years rejected on the grounds that South African participation would endanger the competition. The decision is expected to have even wider repercussions in other sports. Springbok Rugby and cricket teams are due to tour

Australia later this year. Fears that they may not take place, or at least face a continuous background of violent anti - apartheid demonstrations, have been heightened in the last few days by the surprising extent of demonstrations against a South African surfing and lifesaving team touring Australia. A French Rugby team is also due to tour South Africa this year.