THE SIDELINES : IOC President Says Sports Ban Against S. Africa Will Continue

The president of the International Olympic Committee today dismissed reforms in South Africa as cosmetic and said a sports ban against the white-ruled African state will continue.

“The ingredients for eradicating apartheid have not been lifted; therefore the international sanctions should be maintained to pressure South Africa to lift its policy of apartheid,” Juan Antonio Samaranch told a news conference.

“There will be no relaxation in efforts to put an end to apartheid in sport in South Africa,” he declared.

Samaranch said any decision to lift the ban will be taken only after consulting with other African nations.

He said South Africa’s sporting links with other countries were limited to cricket and rugby. But he noted that the IOC has no control over those two sports.

Samaranch spoke after meeting in Kuwait with the IOC Apartheid and Olympic Commission and later with representatives of a special U.N. anti-apartheid commission.