Tennis players who participate in South African...

Tennis players who participate in South African professional tournaments from now on may run the risk of losing Olympic eligibility, the sport’s top official said.

Philippe Chatrier, president of the International Tennis Federation, said that barring competitors from participating in the Games, beginning in 1992, could be the next step in “applying moral pressure in any way we can” on South African ties to worldwide sports.

Late last year, black African nations threatened action against the Seoul Olympics because tennis allowed its top men’s players to hold a Grand Prix tournament in South Africa. Tennis is returning to the Games as a medal sport for the first time since 1924, with its top pro players eligible under new Olympic rules.