South African Rugby tour a threat to '84 Olympics?

July 21, 1981

International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch, already fearing disruption of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, said he was "very worried" about the proposed tour of the United States by the South African Springbooks Rugby team. Mr. Samaranch said he hoped the US Olympic Committee would do its best to prevent the three scheduled matches from taking place.

He was concerned that the Springbooks' visit to the US in September could lead to problems for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles -- similar to the black African boycott of the 1976 Montreal Olympics called over the issue of New Zealand's continuing sporting contacts with South Africa.