South African Team Arrives

South Africa’s first unified team to compete in the Olympics in three decades arrived in Atlanta, waving the nation’s new flag and promising teamwork.

Garbed in green and gold, the 86 athletes stomped and sang an old mining chant translated to “We’ve got to get to work,” as they stepped into the international terminal at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport.

“We are one group!” exclaimed Soon Bodes, a white 19-year-old boxer. “It’s wonderful to be in the Olympics as one, under one flag.”

Until 1992, South Africa was ostracized internationally because of its racist policies, and had not competed in the Olympics since the 1960 Rome Games.

The 1992 team had only six months to train, but still brought home two silver medals. Only about 10 percent of the athletes were black, even though blacks make up about 75 percent of the population.

This year, about 20 percent of the squad is black.