IOC extends South Africa's ban from Olympic games

Updated: 22 Aug 2019

South Africa suffered heavily in the international sports arena as result of its apartheid policy. Prior to the Tokyo Olympic games in 1964, South Africa was banned from taking part in the games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after serious threats by African nations and the Soviet countries. On 15 May 1970, the IOC extended South Africa's ban, resulting in the country's exclusion from the 1972 games in Munich, Germany until the 1996 Atlanta games.

Search events by date

What happened on your birthday?

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2019, August 22). IOC extends South Africa's ban from Olympic games. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148914

South African History Online (2019) 'IOC extends South Africa's ban from Olympic games', South African History Online, 22 August. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148914 (Accessed: 24 September 2026).

South African History Online, IOC extends South Africa's ban from Olympic games [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148914, (accessed 24 September 2026).

"IOC extends South Africa's ban from Olympic games." South African History Online, 22 Aug. 2019, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148914. Accessed 24 Sept. 2026.

South African History Online. "IOC extends South Africa's ban from Olympic games." South African History Online. August 22, 2019. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0148914.