S.A. sportsmen seek mixed-race sport

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32715, 18 September 1971, Page 17

S.A. sportsmen seek mixed-race sport

• (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) DURBAN, September 17. Several leading South African sportsmen have called for multi racial sport in Durban, and the selection of international sporting teams on merit.

At a crowded public meeting, called by the Left-wing Progressive Party, top representatives of various sports aired their views on apartheid policies in sport.

The Springbok cricketer, Peter Pollock, told the crowd of more than 300: “There are now many people who are disturbed about our isolation in world sport. “It is a tragedy and a disaster, because sport is vital in providing social contact and recreation.”

Calling for the selection pf teams on merit, Pollock said that it was not the colour of his skin that made a man score a hundred runs, score a try, or run faster than the next. Merit as basis “Merit should be the basis of our sport in this country. If merit is applied irrespective of race, creed, or colour, I am sure we will be allowed back into the arena You cannot flick a fly whisk and change an entrenched system, but you can make concessions, and one small step on the road to merit will be one giant stride for South Africa.” The South African tennis star, Cliff Drysdale, asked for a mandate to invite the American Negro player, Arthur Ashe, to South Africa. “Would you also give me permission to

play with a black man here? I do it overseas,” he said.

“I feel it is right I should play with a black man here at club, provincial, and national levels. If Arthur Ashe could come here, and what harm would there be if he did, he would see that some of the ideas he has about South Africa are not right.” Earlier warning

Pollock has also warned South African cricketers against playing in a Australia later this year Pollock, one of the South Africans who was to have played on the cancelled tour of Australia, said the South African cricketers dare not forsake their greatest and grimmest fight for survival by playing in a World XI when they were so desperately needed in their own country. Speaking at a Natal University’s Sportsman of the Year banquet in Pietermaritzburg, he said that it was imperative that cricket should stay alive in South Africa. This could be achieved only by South African cricket stars staying at home, he said. "Cricketers must not let utter despondence take over, even though the door has been slammed in their face’ by a political situation.” Earlier this week the Springbok i all-rounder, Mike Procter, who plays for ' Gloucestershire, announced 1 that he would not be i available for the World XI 1 tour of Australia, planned to

’ replace the South African tour. 1 A former Springbok ! cricketer, Mr Neil Adcock, ■ last night criticised Mr s Vorster for his comments on t the cancelled South African - cricket tour of Australia. 1 Speaking-at a Natal Univer- ! sity Sports Union dinner, Mr l Adcock—who was to have managed the Springbok cricketers in Australia—said: “How any sane man can de-

fend South Africa’s sports policies I cannot understand.” Referring to Mr Vorster’s comments earlier this week, he added: “We have been told that no non-white merited selection for the last Springbok cricket side. But until such time as we see them play in good company we cannot say that none of them warrants selection. That remark made by the Prime Minister was absolute nonsense.” ‘No great advocate’ Mr Adcock said that he was no great advocate of multi-racial sport, but he recognised that South Africa had to move with the times. “How we wiH solve this problem I do not know. But what I do know is that South Africa will not see a touring side here for the next 10 years unless there is a change of attitude by the Government.” Is Mr Vorster now too far Left for his party? Page 24.