Rugby tour

Press, 22 April 1986, Page 20

Rugby tour

Sir,—As a New Zealander working in Australia, I was ashamed to hear of the decision of so many New Zealand rugby players to tour South Africa. This is at a time when the number of people killed daily because of apartheid has never been higher. I urge the parents of New Zealand ’ children actively to discourage their children from playing rugby. There are many other outlets through which children may enjoy sport. Also, by not allowing children to watch rugby on television, parents can prevent their children being socialised into the culture of rugby. This “sporting” culture which turns a blind eye to violence, and oppression deserves to die out. — Yours, etc., GARTH RITCHIE, Lecturer in psychology, Mitchell College of Advanced Education, Bathurst, N.S.W. April 18, 1986.

Sir,—Many of your correspondents believe that the New Zealanders now visiting South Africa will be treated like those who visit the Soviet Union. Not only will our representatives be free to travel where they wish, they will visit the rugby clinics run by the S.A.R.B. for junior players. These are run by dedicated sportsmen, regardless of race, creed or colour, for any young people who wish to attend. It would be marvellous if those returning could be given media time to tell us the real situation in that country, but past experience shows that only those holding anti-apartheid views will receive this privilege. — Yours, etc. J. B. SIMMONDS. April 17, 1986.

Sir,—lt is about time a few home truths were pointed out to Brian Hutching (April 17) and others. The Oxford dictionary defines a racist as one who believes that human abilities are determined by race. Why then call our sportsmen in South Africa racists? The team is made up of different races, happy to play against a team of any race, including black South Africans, even though this time they will not. The political beliefs of one’s opposition does not label the individual. If so, then the All Whites are communist sympathisers, as they have recently played the Soviet Union, and our very own vociferous Erin Baker competes against athletes from other countries where racism is prevalent. The real problem we

New Zealanders have is that we have a small number of radical people in our society attempting to coerce others to pursue their narrow-minded ideology. — Yours, etc., LINDSAY SMITH. April 17, 1986.

Sir,—Condemnation and demands for instant punishment have been heaped on our 1985 All Blacks by the press, broadcasters, Government and heads of rugby unions and secondary schools; but the national opinion is evenly divided. New Zealanders still possess the legal and moral right to travel and associate with whom they choose and to determine their own way of helping South African blacks and other disadvantaged people. I find it repugnant to profess to be helping South African blacks by treating all decent South African sportsmen as lepers and by exercising physical pressure, violence and abuse on fellow citizens and police. The slick avoidance of confrontation at airports was a fitting answer to the way the 1985 court injunction was applied, with no time or opportunity to reply. Olympic and Commonwealth Games were instituted to open world championships to all comers in true friendship and sportsmanship, not petty back-biting. — Yours, etc. TED MULCOCK. April 20, 1986.