Causes of the 1981 Springbok Tour to New Zealand...
An All White All Blacks team?
The apartheid that took place in South Africa throughout most of the twentieth century also brought it's radical theories to New Zealand. The South African apartheid political system stated that people of different races were unable to play sport together. Hence, in 1921 when the Springboks were touring New Zealand a reporter who was traveling with the South African team at the time was disgusted to find that rugby supporters were supporting "coloured men" that were playing with people of "their own race". Furthermore, this lead to South African officials requesting the removal of the Māori players from the New Zealand team which was accepted by NZ officials and up until the 1960's this did not receive large enough attention to be compromised. Then in 1960 public protests began and a petition involving 160,000 signatures was recorded. Many of the supporters were Māori, however there were larger numbers of Pākehā supporters who were also involved. This call for equality wasn't listened to and the planned All Blacks tour in South Africa goes ahead. The protest group Halt All Racist Tours (HART) was formed in 1969 and used the slogan 'No Maori's - No Tour' which became popular during this time. HART was protesting against the upcoming tour of South Africa by the All Blacks in 1970. The All Blacks tour of South Africa went ahead with the first mixed race
team in ten years allowed to play against the Springboks. In 1976 the All Blacks tour South Africa once again in what will be their final tour of the country. The team includes five people of Māori or Samoan descent.
The friendly relations that New Zealand held with South Africa was the cause for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games that were held in Montreal to be boycotted by 26 African countries. All the countries were trying to bring attention to New Zealand participating with South Africa, the country that at the time was deemed racist for their apartheid ways. The African nations were protesting in the hopes of the removal of the New Zealand team from the 1976 Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee.
The friendly relations that New Zealand held with South Africa was the cause for the 1976 Summer Olympic Games that were held in Montreal to be boycotted by 26 African countries. All the countries were trying to bring attention to New Zealand participating with South Africa, the country that at the time was deemed racist for their apartheid ways. The African nations were protesting in the hopes of the removal of the New Zealand team from the 1976 Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee.
Gleneagles Agreement
The Gleneagles Agreement was an agreement that was made in 1977 between the countries of the Commonwealth that opposed racism. It was made to ensure that internationally none of these Commonwealth countries would show support towards the apartheid that was taking place in South Africa. Through this, the countries agreed not to have their individuals/teams participate in sporting competitions against South Africa. New Zealand agreed to this and Robert Muldoon signed the agreement on behalf of the New Zealand population.
However, in 1980 Muldoon allowed the New Zealand Rugby Union to invite the Springboks to tour the country in the following year of 1981. So, on September the 12th 1980 the Springboks were invited to the dismay of much of the New Zealand population but to the excitement of others. Though Muldoon could foresee that it would bring much negative international light on New Zealand, the plans for the tour went ahead as he said that South Africa was of "our kith and kin" and should be supported. It brought much international light on the small country who was then deemed as being racist due to what seemed to show support towards the African nation that displayed white supremacy. This brought forward a great controversy that Muldoon opposed through saying that his belief was that “politics should stay out of sport”. Some saw this as being hypocritical as New Zealand had earlier that year pulled out of the Moscow Olympics due to the Soviet Union invading Afghanistan.
However, in 1980 Muldoon allowed the New Zealand Rugby Union to invite the Springboks to tour the country in the following year of 1981. So, on September the 12th 1980 the Springboks were invited to the dismay of much of the New Zealand population but to the excitement of others. Though Muldoon could foresee that it would bring much negative international light on New Zealand, the plans for the tour went ahead as he said that South Africa was of "our kith and kin" and should be supported. It brought much international light on the small country who was then deemed as being racist due to what seemed to show support towards the African nation that displayed white supremacy. This brought forward a great controversy that Muldoon opposed through saying that his belief was that “politics should stay out of sport”. Some saw this as being hypocritical as New Zealand had earlier that year pulled out of the Moscow Olympics due to the Soviet Union invading Afghanistan.