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Johannes A. Smit
… To allow a black man in to play, and perhaps beat, a white man
would have been a contradiction of the concept of white supremacy.
In fact, merely for a black man to play in terms of equality with a
white man, whether he won or lost, is still not permissible because
this too would undermine the doctrine of racial supremacy—white
supremacy.
… South Africa wishes to be a part of the international
family of nations, at least as far as sports are concerned, while at the
same time violating the international code of sports which says ‘there
will be no racial discrimination in sports’. They have this peculiar
dilemma: on the one hand they wish to have racial discrimination
and they enshrine it in their constitution, and, on the other hand, they
wish to participate with the rest of the world on the basis of equality
while they declare that they are committed to a policy of inequality
(Brutus [1970] 2006:147; e.a.).
Having established this argument he then addresses the Western
nations, especially the United States, Britain, France and Australia who
continue to have sporting relations with apartheid South Africa. On the one
hand, they continue these relations, he argues, for economic and political
reasons. However, if they do continue these relations, they in fact function as
‘protectors’ of South Africa which is unacceptable. If they do not break
sporting relations ‘then we will know that their concern for civil rights, for
equality of citizens as far as sport are concerned, is hypocrisy’ (Brutus
[1970] 2006:148). What is needed is international ‘unity’ in the total
exclusion of South Africa from international participation in sports. And for
this, the main argument derives from human rights.
I believe that the countries that have taken a stand against South
Africa in sports must now go further, and they must make it clear
that not only will they break off relations with South Africa but they
will break off relations with the countries which continue to
strengthen and support the South African racists. If this means no
longer participating at White City, London, or at Madison Square
Garden, New York, I believe that countries have to go to that point
of saying, “If you will support racism, then we are no longer
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