tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post3498551588320315301..comments2024-01-08T05:15:14.232-08:00Comments on Buckhorn Road: Please don't mix politics with the OlympicsW.R. Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05908482384887766964noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-11939102706840267892008-03-30T06:05:00.000-07:002008-03-30T06:05:00.000-07:00New Zealand were the only team who had an OFFICIAL...New Zealand were the only team who had an OFFICIAL tour. The others were "rebel tours" that operated outside the remit of the official sporting authorities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-52937069595376400192008-03-28T15:00:00.000-07:002008-03-28T15:00:00.000-07:00The 1976 BOYCOTT was initiated by several African ...The 1976 BOYCOTT was initiated by several African countries petitioning the IOC to BAN New Zealand whose rugby team (not an Olympic sport) toured South African. The IOC refused to BAN New Zealand and so 26 African countries decided they would BOYCOTT the Olympics as a protest against the IOC's decision which the felt was a sign of support for South Africa. <BR/><BR/>This affected 300 athletes including many who held world records. The countries that boycotted were: Libya, Iraq, Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, Gambia, Sudan, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Algeria, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Gabon, Chad, Togo, Niger, Congo, Mauritius, Upper Volta and Malawi.<BR/><BR/>The boycott changed nothing and New Zealand was not the only country whose rugby team toured South Africa. Why New Zealand was picked as the country to be banned, I don't know. <BR/><BR/>The only ones who suffered were the athletes whose countries used the boycott as a political statement.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-81955311882221997832008-03-27T11:34:00.000-07:002008-03-27T11:34:00.000-07:00Of course, I should add that in these cases it was...Of course, I should add that in these cases it was SPORTING bodies who operated the boycotts and bans, rather than government. Which is the ideal solution. Crimes against sporting bodies should be punished by the sporting bodies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-87234261771381115472008-03-27T11:29:00.000-07:002008-03-27T11:29:00.000-07:00They were banned by the IOC because the South Afri...They were banned by the IOC because the South African Olympic Committee did not abide by the rules and spirit of the Olympic movement. The South African sporting organisations operated an apartheit system, which is against the IOC charter. As such, they forfeitted the right to take part in Olympic events. The boycotts and bans were the direct result of the evil practices of the SPORTING organisations of South Africa.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-18316559181284615832008-03-27T05:06:00.000-07:002008-03-27T05:06:00.000-07:00Donalbain - You are using the wrong term. South A...Donalbain - <BR/><BR/>You are using the wrong term. South Africa was banned (barred from attending) by the IOC from the Olympics from 1964-1992. They could not compete even if they wanted to. <BR/><BR/>In 1976 26 African countries boycotted (refused to attend) the Montreal Olympics because the IOC refused to ban New Zealand after that country's rugby team played a series of games in South Africa.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-83339110547000853752008-03-27T03:49:00.000-07:002008-03-27T03:49:00.000-07:00Sorry, but the reason there was a boycott was beca...Sorry, but the reason there was a boycott was because of the apartheit policies of the sporting organisations of South Africa. The national sporting organisations of that country had racist policies, both for their own selection processes and for the teams they would play against. It was NOT a coincidence that SA only played cricket against New Zealand, Australia and England while not playing against India or Pakistan or any African nation. It was also not a coincidence that D'Oilivier had to come to England to play cricket (he was non white). Similarly, when he was selected to play for England in a tour of SA, the SA sporting authorities refused to allow him to play in the country. That is why the cricket authorities began the boycott. If you are not willing to play properly with the other teams, then you don't get to play at all. Other sports had similar or identical policies, including, but not limited to rugby, football, AND athletics. In fact, under the laws of South Africa, ANY mixed race sporting event was illegal, including the practice of running black and white in the same marathon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-2088384843711383542008-03-27T00:24:00.000-07:002008-03-27T00:24:00.000-07:00donalbain, your claim is not entirely true. I rem...donalbain, your claim is not entirely true. I remember a feature done during the 1988 Olympics that followed the plight of black South African track runners and marathoners who were not allowed to compete internationally by the IOC and the IAAF.<BR/><BR/>Nothing like hurting the people you are claiming to help - it is the leftist way!W.R. Chandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05908482384887766964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-79036538624034752692008-03-25T04:18:00.000-07:002008-03-25T04:18:00.000-07:00The black atheletes were not being selected for th...The black atheletes were not being selected for the teams. That was the issue. Apartheid meant that selection was reserved for white players. It also meant that black players from other teams were not permitted to play against white teams in South Africa. <BR/><BR/>THAT is why the boycott was acceptable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-84858267890621341292008-03-25T00:44:00.000-07:002008-03-25T00:44:00.000-07:00Oh yeah, the athletic boycott on South Africa did ...Oh yeah, the athletic boycott on South Africa did a lot of good - the BLACK athletes from South Africa were banned from international competition too.<BR/><BR/>Talk about throwing the baby out with the bathwater.W.R. Chandlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05908482384887766964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-76749655205006631742008-03-24T14:00:00.000-07:002008-03-24T14:00:00.000-07:00The only responsibility of the the government that...The only responsibility of the the government that I am concerned about in the upcoming Olympics is their role in security for the athletes. <BR/><BR/>The tragedy of 1972 was executed by the PLO and there are many more Islamic extremist groups today that would like to bring glory to themselves by massacring infidels in such a public venue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-22544211147824957272008-03-24T04:46:00.000-07:002008-03-24T04:46:00.000-07:00I agree. In an ideal world, sports should be treat...I agree. In an ideal world, sports should be treated seperatly from politics. However, there are times when politics interferes with sport and so a reaction is required from the world of sport. For example, the apartheid regime in South Africa affected sports and so sporting authorities (cricket in particular) were correct in establishing a boycott.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-14927172686098857872008-03-23T17:59:00.000-07:002008-03-23T17:59:00.000-07:00The government should never, ever get involved wit...The government should never, ever get involved with athletics. In 80 they robbed the athletes in the summer Olympics of their lifetime dream. I they think they can survive in the pollution let them go. If they don't let them make that decision. Government intervention is not warranted in this instance.Law and Order Teacherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11069306257334186404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14648942.post-51615548115726552082008-03-22T15:55:00.000-07:002008-03-22T15:55:00.000-07:00How do you feel about the fact that (apparently) s...How do you feel about the fact that (apparently) some of the athletes can not operate in the polluted air there? What should they do?Larry Sheldonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12653436584890594776noreply@blogger.com