Olympic Games caper

jnet o force it is to think of South Africa's opeeement to send a r cinlly mixed teom to the Olympic Gomes in Mexico as a -yeoch in the wa’l of “pertheid, On the very doy thet this informetion wes bl2zoned round the world the Coloured people of the Cpe Province lost their right to send (White) M.P.s to the House of Assembly. Even in the field of sports there is to be no let-up on the strict segregat— ion of the reces within the frontiers of the :pertheid republic. “hite, Black, Coloured ond Asiatic sportsmen will continue to carry on their activities in their own seperste sports grounds, Needless to say, the facilities used by the ruling Whites ere vastly superior to those availsble for the non-whites, Furthermore, the greet majority of the African people in South Africa are undernourished -nd live in conditions not very conducive to physical prowess, Hcw, under these circumstences sre the "integr— ated" Olympic teams to be chosen? Presumably, like every other country, the apartheid republic will want to be represented in Mexico City by her top athletes, How can these be chosen if they are ‘denied the orportunity to compete against each other, le»ving out the importent question of unequal training facilities? Just to ask the question is to expose its utter absurdity. The team is to be chosen by a committee of six Bl=ck-and six White selectors. Will they sit together to make their choice? On South African sports grounds, spectators are strictly segregated, Will the Black seliectors by be allowed into White grounds to sit alongside their ‘white co’leagues to choose the teams? Can one really imspine the white Herrenvolk of South Africa allowing a dark-skinned man or woman to promunce ‘ujgement over a White man or woman? If the Internetional Olympics Committee believes thisit does not know the White South Africans, This decision to allow South Africa to particip»te in the Mexico Gomes makes a fatce of the anti-recial clauses of the Olympic Charter, It should not be left to the Afrivsan nations to fight ag: inst the ‘tecision, Britain, as well as the socialist countries should back their action by withdrawing from the games uniess the “ecision is reversed, There must be no truck with the inhuman system of apartheid, either on the sports . field or off it.