Why was South Africa banned from the Olympics?

I believe they were banned for apartheid, but I don't know how long the ban was for.

It was due to apartheid. Here's more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apartheid#Cultural_and_sporting_isolation

SA participated at the 1960 Olympics and was banned from seven subsequent Summer Games until 1992. I count the absence as 28 years (1992-1964).

Several South African individuals represented other countries at the Olympics, Zola Budd being the most obvious example.

And the fact that New Zealand played South Africa in rugby, but wasn't punished for violating the international sporting ban against SA, led to the large African boycott of the 1976 Olympics.

thanks for the replies everyone however how does China differ in their attitudes towards civil rights within the country and occupation of land yet they get to hold the Olympics?

Are international boycotts and standards only applicable when things are 'carte blanche'?

I'm not aware that China had a policy of selecting athletes from only one ethnic group like South Africa used to do.

Why was South Africa banned but not Israel, which has the same bizarre apartheid policies based on religion (vs. skin color).

Unfair wrote:

Why was South Africa banned but not Israel, which has the same bizarre apartheid policies based on religion (vs. skin color).

....because Israel rightly discriminates based on people they think might kill their civilians (Palestinians) vs. people they think won't kill their civilians (Israeli Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, Bedouins etc.)

Unfair wrote:

Why was South Africa banned but not Israel, which has the same bizarre apartheid policies based on religion (vs. skin color).

Interesting point... however, since the international community only recognise Israel within the pre 1967 borders, then it gets a little more complicated. Is there any reason a Christian or Muslim arab athlete living within the pre 1967 borders could not get selection to an Israeli sports team?

The question of apartheid mainly relates to the different treatment of Jews and Arabs in the occupied territories... so now we are getting into the area of discussing boycotts countries that occupy other peoples land.

The Arabs don't recognize Israel at all and never agreed to the U.S. rule after the British were defeated in the 1940s and withdrew. U.S. imperialism replaced the British and Arab freedom fighters have been fighting to liberate their land from U.S. occupation in Palestine and elsewhere since the 1940s.

That's stupid. Hitler killed 6,000,00 Jews and 6,000,000 Russians, Slavs, Gypsies, based on such racist t suspicions. Israel has adopted Hitler's methods.

And so what wrote:

The Arabs don't recognize Israel at all and never agreed to the U.S. rule after the British were defeated in the 1940s and withdrew. U.S. imperialism replaced the British and Arab freedom fighters have been fighting to liberate their land from U.S. occupation in Palestine and elsewhere since the 1940s.

This is wrong on so many levels it is not funny. But one glaring issue is that you say the US ruled after the British. Although the US recognized Israel from the beginning, it was hardly the strong ally it is now. To intimate that Israel has always been part of the US is simply idiotic.

In the 1948 war, Israel was aided by French weapons, not American.

French, British, Japanese, Dutch, U.S., Chinese, Russian, Holocaust Survivor, etc. imperial groups are not recognized by Arabs. None of these foreigners have any say in the affairs of Arabs, and were never invited to the Arab world to live. They can come as guests, students, tourists, businessmen, and as friends. Permission was never granted to steal land, rape, occupy, steal oil, murder, etc. The foreign invaders are being removed now by force.

Freedom Fries wrote:

French, British, Japanese, Dutch, U.S., Chinese, Russian, Holocaust Survivor, etc. imperial groups are not recognized by Arabs. None of these foreigners have any say in the affairs of Arabs, and were never invited to the Arab world to live. They can come as guests, students, tourists, businessmen, and as friends. Permission was never granted to steal land, rape, occupy, steal oil, murder, etc. The foreign invaders are being removed now by force.

Are you forgetting about the hundreds of thousands of Jews who BOUGHT land from ABSENTEE Arab landowners in the late 1800s and early 1900s? Do they have no right to the land they purchased legally?

And to the person before who said that Israel's suspicion of Palestinians is the same as Hitler's suspicion of the Jews and others, that is idiotic; the comparison has no basis:

1) European minorities did not want to murder Aryan civilians, whereas Palestinian terrorists try to murder Israeli civilians every day in an attempt of anialation (read the post above if you don't believe this)

2) Unlike Hitler who murdered millions of civilians, Israel does not murder Palestinian civilians and instead only targets terrorists who cowardly hide and bring about terror from civilian centers such as schools and hospitals.

So lets see: Hitler murdered civilians who didn't want to murder him. Palestinians murder civilians who don't want to murder them. Israelis kill murders while showing the most restraint of any country on earth while faced with people who want to kill them, and yet ISRAELIS are compared to Nazis, and Palestinians are not compared to Nazis? Makes sense.

Israel is a foreign terrorist occupation regime. Israel continues mass genocide upon thier own flesh and blood Semitic people with a passion. The Israeli regime is a proxy of the United States, 100% funded by United States taxpayers. The cause of 9-11 is the occupation of Palestine by the United States. Only when Nazi-Zionism is totally removed from Palestine can all Arabs and Jews live in peace. Until then, it's war for 500 years, generation after generation of Arabs will fight to liberate Palestine from the Nazi-Zionist invaders. We are witnessing the greatest epic struggle for liberation, justice, and peace in human history. It is truly momentous, historic, and impressive to read about the Arab freedom fighters as they fight tanks, missiles, jets, cruise missles, in unwavering battles.

Wasn't this thread supposed to incite moronic diatribe against China? Instead we've got morons talking about Israel.

Either way the OP got the morons going, but not the subject he wanted.

Shxlom wrote:

Israel is a foreign terrorist occupation regime. Israel continues mass genocide upon thier own flesh and blood Semitic people with a passion. The Israeli regime is a proxy of the United States, 100% funded by United States taxpayers. The cause of 9-11 is the occupation of Palestine by the United States. Only when Nazi-Zionism is totally removed from Palestine can all Arabs and Jews live in peace. Until then, it's war for 500 years, generation after generation of Arabs will fight to liberate Palestine from the Nazi-Zionist invaders. We are witnessing the greatest epic struggle for liberation, justice, and peace in human history. It is truly momentous, historic, and impressive to read about the Arab freedom fighters as they fight tanks, missiles, jets, cruise missles, in unwavering battles.

Aside from everything else wrong with this, I just wanted to point out that Arab "freedom fighters" do not spend most of their time fighting tanks, missiles, jets and cruise missiles. Actually most of their effort is spent fighting babies, mothers, and other civillians. That is very momentous, historic and impressive!

................ wrote:

I'm not aware that China had a policy of selecting athletes from only one ethnic group like South Africa used to do.

I think you may find that was something from the 70's, athletics was already one of the most integrated sports in South Africa from the mid-80's.

If the world was so concerned with apartheid how come when reverse apartheid has been applied to South Africa for the last 14 years and people cannot get employment due to the color of their skin or represent their country in sport due to their skin color it is alright?

Or the very fact that white farmers have been placed on the genocide list by the UN, yet all aspects are ignored by the international community.

There are stark thruths to SA and that is not under discussion more the attitude to China and how come they are placed in such a position to hold the Olympics in the first place.

I note Israel is mentioned, yet the fact that an Arab can be a representative in the Knesset whereas a Jew has no hope in hell of ever achieving such aspects in an Arab country never mind practicing their religion in that said country.

The world loves to bully a small nation but then turn a total blind eye to China and instead reward it.

What of Zimbabwe and Mugabe's failings?

double standards, the World only tends to have morals when it is suitable

Shxlom wrote:

Israel is a foreign terrorist occupation regime. Israel continues mass genocide upon thier own flesh and blood Semitic people with a passion. The Israeli regime is a proxy of the United States, 100% funded by United States taxpayers. The cause of 9-11 is the occupation of Palestine by the United States. Only when Nazi-Zionism is totally removed from Palestine can all Arabs and Jews live in peace. Until then, it's war for 500 years, generation after generation of Arabs will fight to liberate Palestine from the Nazi-Zionist invaders. We are witnessing the greatest epic struggle for liberation, justice, and peace in human history. It is truly momentous, historic, and impressive to read about the Arab freedom fighters as they fight tanks, missiles, jets, cruise missles, in unwavering battles.

If Israel wanted to, they could nuke all the islamic-regime occupied nations that surround them.

The only thing stopping them from doing so is the US.