The Israel Olympic Committee adopted a resolution last night brooking off all sports relations with South Africa, a country boycotted by the International Olympic Committee because of its apartheid policy. Yitzhak Ofek, chairman of the Israel Olympic Committee, said the decision was taken with great regret, in view of the friendly relations, between Israel and South Africa, but was necessary to avoid giving the Soviet Union a pretext for barring Israel’s participation in the 1786 Olympic ### Moscow.
Ofek said the move was also an expression of Israel’s disapproval of the racial segregation of sports in South Africa. The most immediate effect was the cancellation of the scheduled visit by two prominent Israeli gymnast to South Africa. The decision will be discussed by the Israel Sports Federation and the International Maccabiah Games Committee will. be briefed on the issue when it convenes in two months.
Shmuel Lalkin, chairman of the Sports Federation, said that competition between Israel and South Africa in sports events has in fact been restricted all along to those branches of sports in which South Africa is still a member of international federations. These include gymnastics, fencing and judo. But now all competitions will be suspended, at least until after the 1980 Olympiad.
Ofek said evidence was accumulating that the Soviet authorities were seeking a way to bar Israel from next year’s competitions without incurring international protests. One way, said, was to demand the ouster of Israel because of its sports relations with South Africa.
HAMMER EXPRESSES REGRET OVER MOVE
Minister of Culture one Education Zevulun Hammer today expressed regret over the move taken by the Israeli Olympic Committee. He said the decision was taken without prior consultations with the government. This is a political move, he said, and should not have been taken by the sports body, especially without consultations. The South African Ambassador to Israel expressed his disappointment over the decision, noting that there were no prior contacts between the Israeli Olympic Committee and his Embassy.
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