World of Boxing against Apartheid http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.nuun1988_08 Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education. The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law. Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org World of Boxing against Apartheid Alternative title Notes and Documents - United Nations Centre Against ApartheidNo. 9/88 Author/Creator United Nations Centre against Apartheid Publisher United Nations, New York Date 1988-07-00 Resource type Reports Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) South Africa Coverage (temporal) 1988 Source Northwestern University Libraries Description This issue contains statements made at a meeting of the Special Committee on 30 June at United Nations Headquarters to present a citation to Mr. Jose Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council and to pay tribute to boxers and boxing administrators for their valuable contribution to the international campaign against apartheid in sports. Several champions and other boxing personalities attended the meeting, including Messrs. Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Prazier, Don King, Gerry Cooney, Don Lalonde, Azumah Nelson, Roberto Duran and representatives of boxing federations from around the world. Format extent 9 page(s) (length/size) http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.SFF.DOCUMENT.nuun1988_08 http://www.aluka.org NOTES AND DOCUMENTS* NOTES AND DOCUMENTS* July 1988 Y9S WORLD OF BOXING AGAINST APARTHEID Special Committee against Apartheid presents Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council. citation to Mr. Jose INote: This issue contains statements made at a meeting of the Special Committee on 30 June at United Nations Headquarters to present a citation to Mr. Jose Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council and to pay tribute to boxers and boxing administrators for their valuable contribution to the international campaign against apartheid in sports. Several champions and other boxing personalities attended the meeting, including Messrs. Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Frazier, Don King, Gerry Cooney, Don Lalonde, Azumah Nelson, Roberto Duran and representatives of boxing federations from around the world.) 88-19205 *All material in these Notes and Documents may be freely reprinted. Acknowledgement, together with a copy of the publication containing the reprint, would be appreciated. United Niations, New York 10017 UNITED NATIONS (3)CENTRE AGAINST APARTHEID 9/88 CONTENTS Page I. OPENING STATEMENT BY H.E. MAJOR-GENERAL J.N. GARBA, CHAIRMAN OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE AGAINST APARTHEID ............ 2 II. STATEMENT BY H.E. MRS. OLGA PELLIZER, DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MEXICO TO THE UNITED NATIONS ...................3 III. STATEMENT BY MR. SAM RAMSAMY, CHAIRMAN OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN NON-RACIAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE ..............................4 IV. STATEMENT BY SUGAR RAY LEONARD (ON BEHALF OF THE BOXERS PRESENT) ....................................................... 6 V. PRESENTATION OF CITATION BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ............................................. 6 VI. STATEMENT BY MR. JOSE SULAIMAN, PRESIDENT OF THE WORLD BOXING COUNCIL ................................................. 6 -2 - I. OPENING STATEMENT BY H.E. MAJOR-GENERAL J.N. GARBA, CHAIRMAN OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE AGAINST APARTHEID The efforts of the international community to assist the people of South Africa to eradicate the evil system of apartheid have made inroads in recent years. However, the efforts against the r~gime need to be intensified. Apartheid still dominates life in South Africa. Blacks are still deprived of their basic human rights in South Africa. Black South Africans are even considered, under the system of apartheid, aliens in their own country of birth. The people of South Africa who have suffered great hardships are determined to continue with their struggle until apartheid and all its manifestations are eradicated and a genuine democratic system is established in their country. Many States and organizations have responded positively to the appeals of the General Assembly and the Special Committee. However, much more work is needed to isolate the apartheid r4gime and to take the message of the world to the white minority in South Africa that peaceful existence for all South Africans can only come about when apartheid is eliminated and all South Africans are involved on equal basis in the political process in their country. One of the areas in which pressure can be brought to bear on the apartheid r4gime is in the field of sports. It is common knowledge that sports is a field where people compete on the basis of merit and no constraints could be imposed on the basis of colour, race or political affiliation. The Olympic ideals are based on the principles that there must be total equality for all in sports. Sports is also a vehicle to strengthen friendship and co-operation between peoples of different nations and to serve peace and humanity. Apartheid is a negation of all these principles and is rightly condemned by the General Assembly as a crime against humanity. The Special Committee is singularly proud that, in the field of sports, it has been able, with the assistance of people like Mr. Jose Sulaiman, whom we are honouring today, to put South Africa where it rightly belongs. We owe our deep appreciation and thanks to the World Boxing Council (WBC) and to Mr. Sulaiman for the efforts which led to the exclusion of South Africa from the Council. Mr. Sulaiman has been instrumental in persuading other international organizations to do likewise. The contribution of Mr. Sulaiman and many of his colleagues in the world of boxing, as well as many sports administrators and athletes all around the world, will be remembered by the people of South Africa. It was under his direct authority, when he was elected President of WBC in Tunis in 1975, that the battle commenced against apartheid in professional boxing. He showed great courage and determination in the face of extreme odds in a sport where millions of dollars often hold sway over morality. Mr. Sulaiman has been a worthy President who has steadfastly stood against apartheid in all its forms. In honouring Mr. Sulaiman today, we honour every athlete, sportsmen and women as well as sports administrators who have shunned their personal -3- interests, financial and material well-being and selflessly stood against apartheid by refusing to participate in apartheid sports. We applaud their recognition that apartheid sports is an integral part of a predatory system a system that is ideologically, morally and legally indefensible. We are thankful to athletes, administrators and leaders in sports organizations, among them Mr. Jose Sulaiman, Mr. Juan Antonio Samaranch, Abraham Ordia, John McEnroe, Vijay Armitraj, Lyold Honeyghan, Muhammad Ali, John Conteh, Larry Holmes and Rudd Gullit, to name a few, who have by their individual acts exerted tremendous efforts to isolate apartheid sports. I must also pay special tribute to the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee (SANROC) and its dynamic Chairman, Mr. Sammy Ramsamy, who is with us today, for their untiring efforts. We are most appreciative of the determination of many champions and promoters who are present at this meeting and who have rejected the attempts of the apartheid r4gime and its collaborators to lure them to play in South Africa in spite of the huge amounts of money offered for that purpose. Your individual and collective actions are reflective of your freedom to choose - a liberty which is denied to the majority of South Africans. As we honour Mr. Sulaiman for his anti-apartheid efforts, let me restate the views of the Special Committee on this issue. I wish to reiterate that in calling for the isolation of apartheid sports, we are not attempting to inject politics into sports but we are demanding that sports be free from racism and apartheid which is the cruelest system of racial oppression; that in issuing the Register of Sports Contacts with South Africa - a document which is fast becoming an influential instrument in deterring athletes from competing in South Africa - we do not in any way intend for it to become a blacklist. Those who are on it are there on their own volition. They reserve the right to have their names struck off the register; they must, however, reject apartheid sports. The entering into force of the International Convention against Apartheid in Sports, on 3 April 1988, was for us a comforting sign that Member States of the United Nations are appreciative and supportive of our work. I, therefore, appeal to all States which have not yet done so, to expedite their processes of accession or ratification. We want to see that all States are committed to the Convention and its principles so that apartheid sports is totally isolated. Finally, I wish to once again expresss our immense gratitude to Mr. Sulaiman, the World Boxing Council and all of you gathered here for the solidarity which you have shown by joining us today as we pay tribute to a great man who has shown immense courage by saying NO to apartheid sports.