U.S. Gymnasts in South Africa to Return Home

Two gymnasts on the U.S. national team who had planned to compete in South Africa will return home after learning that their visit conflicts with a ban on sports contact with South Africa, a spokesman for the U.S. Gymnastics Federation said Tuesday.

According to John Arends, the gymnasts’ coach, Ed Burch, said that he wasn’t aware of the ban passed by the federation’s board in 1986.

“When we told him about it, he immediately agreed that the kids should return on the next flight home,” Arends said.

The two, Chainey Umphrey and Brandy Wood, were among 12 U.S. club gymnasts who flew to Johannesburg to compete against a South African national team this weekend.

Umphrey, who is black, is on the U.S. senior development team, and Wood is on the U.S. junior team. Their trip, however, was not backed by the U.S. federation.

“They are there as private citizens competing for a private club,” he said. “The U.S. federation does not condone the trip.”

The U.S. Gymnastics Federation board voted in December, 1986, to halt competition with South Africa until the government changes it apartheid policies, which mandate racial separation. Many other countries and athletic organizations have also banned sports contact with South Africa.