Die rol van sportisolasie as faktor in die daarstelling van 'n nuwe politieke bedeling in Suid Afrika, 1980-1992

[摘要] English: The role of sports as a social and educational instrument should never be underestimated.In South Africa sport is sometimes referred too as a second religion and plays a veryimportant role in many South African cultures. This was also the view of the antiapartheidmovements in South Africa and throughout the world at the time of theirdecision to use sport as a mechanism against apartheid in South Africa.Since the National Party's apartheid policy was implemented m 1948, it almostimmediately started playing a role in sport as well. Although sport was practicedseparately before 1948, the implementation of apartheid enforced laws, which stated thatblack and white could not practice sport together. For the next three decades conflictbetween the National Party-government and the resistance movements against apartheidcontinued, with sport frequently being caught in-between. With the signed of theGleneagles Agreement in 1977, the anti-apartheid movements gained more momentum intheir struggle against apartheid in sport, because this agreement, signed by the heads ofstate of Commonwealth countries, pleaded for the abolishment of sporting ties with SouthAfrica.The 1980s are seen as the nucleus of the struggle against apartheid in sport. Although theSouth African government was less involved in sports administration during the 1980s,the influence of the apartheid policy had already set the different structures in which sportwas to be played. The anti-apartheid movements' campaign against apartheid in sportintensified during the 1980s, with the abolishment of all apartheid structures as their mainobjective. The South African sportsmen and -women also got involved in the struggle bytrying t~ find new ways and alternatives to bypass the boycott action against apartheid insport.Although the initiatives of these sports people were mainly in their own interest and forthe furthering of their sporting careers, their attempts were not always very successful.This was mainly due to the strong grip that the political situation in South Africa had onsport in the country. It became clear that only a change in the political situation in SouthAfrica would ensure the re-admission of South African sports people into theinternational sporting arena. The message was clear that the anti-apartheid movementswould not accept normal sport in an abnormal society in South Africa.In their attempts to ensure international participation, South African sports people starteddenouncing apartheid, putting pressure on the government to enter into discussionsconcerning a new political dispensation for South Africa. The successful use of boycottsand resistance actions by the anti-apartheid movements contributed to the change inperspective by the South African sports people and assisted in the creation of a emotionalresistance against the apartheid policy. For the sports people of South Africa thedenouncement of apartheid was, at the end, the only way to ensure their rightful place inworld sports in the future.

[发布机构] University of the Free State