Moves to establish multi-racial cricket

Press, 29 July 1976, Page 6

Moves to establish multi-racial cricket

From T. P McLEAN Potchefstroom In the wake of the stupendous impact on South Africa ] of the exclusion of her athletes and soccer players from their international fed erations, and the United States Gymnastic Associations’ decision not to send a women’s representative team to tour the republic, there appears to have been: an acceleration in the pro- 1 cess of finding a formula for the establishment of multiracial cricket. The Minister of Sport (Dr Piet Koornhof) met in Pretoria yesterday, a committee [of nine which represents black, white, and Coloured cricket associations and [which has been working for ithe establishment of multii racial cricket as soon as next [summer. In the meantime, the president of the Western Province Cricket Board (Mr Has[san Howa), a noted opponent of anything but genuine integration, has announced an agreement with the Western Province Cricket Union, the whites-onlv body. which ; would promote the establish-

iment of mixed snort in Western Province. There are 139 [teams affiliated to each of these two bodies. . | Mr Howa has said he is [willing to accept a subservi- ; ent position in the new administration if this would I produce the kind of non- . Iracial cricket he has worked for for so long. If teams in a changed set- , [up were compelled to be raiCialiy segregated on a multiInational basis, the opposition [of non-white groups would be . renewed The general manager of the ■'National Soccer League <Mr [Vivian Granger) has returned >lto Johannesburg from Mon;]treal with a message of uti ter gloom. South African Lsport, he said, was doomed. •[Within the next few years. ■ [South Africa would be barred /from international competi[tion in every sport of conse- • iquence. ■ What he described as .[“The organisation” was comt mitted. Mr Granger said, to ■ the destruction of aparti held. II “Their power and planning i are quite frightening." he i said. “Eventually, no-one wi ll ■ defy them.” .