Racism in South African Sports

However, this was not the case; the way in which the apartheid regime implemented development projects, made it completely hard for equality to be achieved among the country’s citizens1. To start with, these laws required individuals from different races to live separately, the development was also presented to the citizens separately whereby the whites were favored, as their regions were more developed and they had better infrastructure as compared to their black counterparts. Not only did the regime require people to live separately, but also made it clear that no social integrating a or inter-marriages would happen between individuals from different races; having a friend from a different race during these periods, made it even worse as it raises a lot of suspicion upon an individual2.

The apartheid regime was a system that disadvantaged a sizeable number of the blacks, who were the majority, particularly because they failed to share a similar skin color with the country’s rulers. Many were therefore forced to survive in poverty because they were not whites. The whites wanted to feel superior compared to the black people who were the majority. Fear also influenced the South African leaders significantly, before they could reach upon these policies. Being the minority, the white people feared that after the world had moved away from the racist policies, the black individuals who were the majority would end up taking their jobs from them, as well as their culture and language. This regime did not make an exception for the sports sector.

The black people in this country were viewed as the weak race, and it was believed that they did not have similar athletic abilities similar to those possessed by the whites. Arthur Ashe used his athletic status to protest the denial of a visa as he sought this as an injustice. He presented his woes to the United Nations, the IL TF, the David Cup Committee, as well as the United State Congress. This move leads to a stern action being taken upon the South African government, and towards the end of 1969, a number of international sports bodies like the International Olympic Committee banned South Africa from participating in nearly all world-sporting events. This was a moment of victory for Arthur Ashe as well as all other black activists.

This occurrence prompted Arthur Ashe to dedicate himself to fighting the apartheid regime, particularly because it had affected him personally. This act made it possible for the owners of properties, for instance, the sporting amenities, to bar individuals from other races from accessing their properties. Similarly, the Group Area Act of 1966, divided the country into various segregated areas, depending on the race one hailed from. This caused unending sufferings to the black athletes because they could not participate in sports events that were held outside their segregated regions. For a long period, the apartheid regime controlled the ability of black individuals to participate in sporting events. A survey conducted in one of South Africa’s provinces indicated that out of forty percent of the sports registered, no black athlete who participated5.

The word poverty in the South African context, made the white see themselves superior to the blacks. They continuously wanted to prove to the blacks that they were inferior and they needed to remember that always. The move by Dennis Brutus, the chairperson to South Africa’s Non-Racial Olympic Committee, to ask for help from individuals in the Olympic Movement in fighting for interracial sports was greatly criticized. Arthur Porritt, an I. O. Moreover, it is also an amazing experience to watch the Pirates or the Chiefs playing with any other local team in South Africa, because of the huge fan base. On the contrary, the support given to rugby and cricket by the blacks is not substantial. This is mainly because the provincial and national rugby teams have not been able to understand the concept that, in order to increase the fan base from a particular demographic you have to include people from the demographic in the team.

Fifteen years after the apartheid regime, South Africa joined world cricket. However, in a past occurrence when South African cricketers were playing against New Zealand, there were only two black players, out of a team of eleven individuals. For instance, the black players have proven that they can compete in the game, to an extent that they are even selected by the English teams, despite them being minorities in the country. If the blacks are good enough in Britain, then why does the same case not apply in South Africa? Moreover, the white players are often given so many chances to prove their abilities as compared to the black individuals. For instance, Jacques Kallis, a celebrated white cricket player, displayed a poor performance after becoming an international player7.

However, he was given other chances, because they believed in him, and he later excelled in the field. However, for the blacks who do not make it after several games, they are immediately dropped. Even though it may prove difficult for the nation to bring back the Soccer Fridays, as it was back in 2010 when individuals were required to put on jerseys belonging to the national soccer team. Additionally, it may be impossible for the country to host major tournaments in order to create patriotism and national cohesion among its citizens, based on the fact that the country’s municipalities are having difficulties in paying for the Afcon participation. According to some reports, some municipalities have been forced to cut back on the delivery of some services, for them to host the Afcon games in the municipalities’ stadiums.