Sports contacts

Press, 9 March 1982, Page 20

Sports contacts

Sir,—Various of the black countries have expressed, very loudly, their indignation that sport of some sort by some members of some white countries has taken place with South Africa. As a result they have threatened boycotts, far and wide, on allsports of those countries. None of them have stretched far enough to boycott such assistance, financial or otherwise, as many of them receive from many of these white countries they so openly endeavour to blackmail by boycotts of almost any other kind. By and large they appear to be urging a philosophy of “One World, One People. Very laudable but neither the blacks nor the whites have ever looked like achieving such perfection even in their own ranks as an example to future generations — nor ever will if past-history or present example means anything. There are acknowledgements that some of them do trade with South Africa but that is “trade not sport”. May I suggest that the difference between “sport and trade” to put it in reverse is more than equally justifiable. — Vours, etc., J. NEE. March 5, 1982.