International Olympic Committee re-admit South Africa

Updated: 30 Sep 2019

International Olympic Committee re-admit South Africa

Following the ban on South Africa by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prior to the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1964 for its racial discrimination practices, the same body decided to re-admit South Africa. The government had made five relevant concessions and the country was expected to participate in the Mexico City Olympics late in 1968. However, this decision elicited sharp protests from various Black African states which threatened to stay away from Mexico if South Africa took part. The IOC was therefore obliged to withdraw its invitation to South Africa in April 1968. South Africa suffered heavily in the international sports arena as a result of its apartheid policy. It gradually became clear that the government would have to make further changes to its sport policy if SA was to take part in international competitions.

How we know this

01Kalley, J.A.; Schoeman, E. & Andor, L.E. (eds)(1999). Southern African Political History: a chronology of key political events from independence to mid-1997, Westport: Greenwood.
02Muller, C.F.J. (ed) (1981). Five Hundred years: a history of South Africa; 3rd rev. ed., Pretoria: Academica, p. 527.ol>

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). International Olympic Committee re-admit South Africa. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012093

South African History Online (2011) 'International Olympic Committee re-admit South Africa', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012093 (Accessed: 8 November 2026).

South African History Online, International Olympic Committee re-admit South Africa [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012093, (accessed 8 November 2026).

"International Olympic Committee re-admit South Africa." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012093. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

South African History Online. "International Olympic Committee re-admit South Africa." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0012093.