African Activist Archive

The press release says the Committee to Stop the United States - South Africa Tennis Match is organizing a protest of the upcoming Davis Cup match scheduled for April 15-16 in Newport Beach. Demonstrations are scheduled on all three days, with groups from all over California participating. South Africa violates a fundamental tenant of international sports, that all athletes should be chosen on the basis of merit, not color. South Africa has been forbidden to participate in virtually all international competitions because of her overtly racist policies. South African teams have been barred from the last three Olympics. In 1976 alone, the international associations for soccer, swimming, and track and field banished South Africa after extensive hearings. The International Lawn Tennis Association (ILTA) charter states that racism should not be allowed to be a factor in tennis competition, so it is inconceivable that the United States Tennis Association (USTA) should continue to support and play South Africa. We have written letters to Joseph Carrico, head of the American Davis Cup committee, and Slew Hester, president of the USTA, asking for a meeting to formally present our position. We have asked for a meeting with the leaders of the U.S. Davis Cup to discuss their reason for playing this match. The Supreme Council of Sport in Africa has said it may call for a boycott of all U.S. athletes in all sports if this match is played, so this decision could have broad consequences. We call on leaders like Ambassador Andrew Young and President Jimmy Carter, who have made promising declarations on human rights, to make known their views of this sporting event.

African Activist Archive

[The Committee to Stop the United States – South Africa Tennis Match has been formed to organize …]

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