S.A. sports move raises hopes

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33790, 12 March 1975, Page 25

S.A. sports move raises hopes

V 7 P .4 -Reuter—-Copyright JOHANNESBURG.

The Government decision to allow multiracial Rugby and cricket sides to play against two foreign touring teams raised cautious hopes in South Africa that the country was moving back into the international sports arena.

Racial discrimination in sport has prevented South Africa taking part in the Olympics and other world sporting events, as well as leading foreign Rugbv and cricket teams to call off traditional. tours of the Republic.

But the Sports Minister (Dr Piet Koornhof) in what appeared to be a reversal of Cabinet; policy, announced that invitation teams “consisting of! the various peoples of South Africa” would be allowed to play one match each against the French Rugby team, due to tour the country next June, and the Derrick Robin’s cricket side already on tour.

Dr Koornhof recently told) Parliament that where discrimination purely on race grounds existed in sport, it was Government policy to move away from this. But in his latest announcement, he said the latest limited concession did not mean any change in basic Government policy of separate development for the country’s different races.

He also dashed hopes that; i merit selection of national. teams now would follow in; Rugby and cricket — though it is now allowed in other sports. He also ruled out mixed sport among South; Africans.

Nevertheless, many sports leaders considered the latest decision as a step in the right direction. A Rugby leader, Dr Danie Craven, a foremost advocate of merit selection, said that he was “very pleased for all our sakes.”

He would not say if he considered the decision as a forerunner to further relaxations in sport policy. But he said the fact that an international touring team would be playing against a mixed South African side for the first time “is obviouslv a

step in the right direction; t o w a r d s favourably ■ ■ influencing our friends m the Rugby world." : Mr Jannie Le Roux, vice president of the South I African Rugby Board, said., “I do think it a step for [ward. It is at least bringing! Rugby and cricket on a par with other sports." And the president of the 1 South African Cricket Asso-| 1 ciation. Mr Boon Wallace,; [ said that he believed “it was ' the dawn of a new era in 'South African cricket — an; I era which we have all look ed forward to for main [years and tn which all our [cricketing hopes may well! ibe realised." But the reaction was not| [universal. Mr Hassan Howa former president of the’ South African Cricket Board| of Control — a non-white! body — said that anyone who participated in or con-j ■ doned the new move was idoing South African sport I "irredeemable harm." “The most startling aspect; .of the latest ’concession’ by the Government is that it has been given on the de-; mand of the French Rugbv president,” Mr Howa said. “The admission by the! .Minister of Sport, at this; time in the development of; our country, that there are! still people who believe that; white sportsmen can climb, out of isolation on the backs

11 of the rest of South Africa ■ is dismaying," he added i Meanwhile, a survey pub 'lished in the country's biggest daily newspaper, the i “Johannesburg Star’’ sug .igested that white South Africa was evenly divided on whether to allow mixed sport at club level, which is not vet accepted The poll indicated that 41 I pet cent of whites would I agree to integration at dub level. 43 per cent were opposed to racially-mixed ; sport and 13 per cent either had no opinion or refused to answer the question Far more English speakers Ithan Afrikaners of those i polled were in favour of initegrated sport, more men !than women, and there was ! far more support for racial I mixing on the sports fields among upper income groups than among poorer sections |of the community . Most city dwellers were in favour and a majority of country dwellers were against. In a possibly significant .indication of the direction of ; events, the politically and socially influential Institute for the Promotion of Calvan- ' ism has just released a pubI lication saying that any formula whereby South Africa I could re-enter international ■ sport “calls for open handedness.”