SOCCER QUEST IN BRAZIL

 

 

In the 1970s the struggles by non-racial sports leaders were gaining momentum and numerous organisations were leading the calls for the international isolation of racial sport.

Some of the organisations that were in the forefront of the anti-apartheid sports struggles were the South African Soccer Federation, South African Amateur Swimming Federation, South African Council of Sport (SACOS) and the non-racial organisations promoting tennis, table tennis, cricket, and other sporting codes.

The SASF was in the forefront of the struggles simply because of the high numbers who participated and played football.

While the leaders did not pull any punches in calling for the isolation of racist South Africa from international sport, at the same time there were a number of people who wanted to bring down top international players to join teams in the Federation Professional League (FPL).

In May 1973, I covered a story about attempts by a Pietermaritzburg businessman, Mr George Cassimjee,  and a local journalist, Mr Bobby Harrypersadh, who had flown down to Brazil to entice a team to come down to play against FPL teams or to sign up some top players to come down to South Africa to play for FPL teams.

This story was published on May 9 1973 under the headline: “Soccer Quest In Brazil”.

The story read:

Two Natal Indians have left for Brazil in the hope of enticing a Brazilian soccer side or, alternatively, individual players, to visit South Africa.

While it is suggested that the world soccer body, FIFA, might not allow a soccer team to make a tour of South Africa, hopes are high that individual stars, like possibly Pele, will come here.

Mr George Cassimjee, a Pietermaritzburg businessman and show promoter, and Mr Bobby Harrypersadh, a Durban journalist, left for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, last week.

Mr Yusuf Cassimjee said yesterday his brother and Mr Harrypersadh had left for Brazil to make arrangements “for some big things”.

He would not reveal what the “big things” would be, but he said:

“A Brazilian soccer team will definitely be here, but I don’t know when.”

His brother and Mr Harrypersadh will return after a month.

 

                                  WARNING

Mr Norman Middleton, president of the non-racial South African Soccer Federation, said yesterday that Mr George Cassimjee had consulted him before leaving for Brazil.

“We have given him our blessings but warned him that FIFA might not allow an outside team to visit South Africa, especially one from Brazil, in view of the fact that it recently withdrew permission granted to three of its affiliates from taking part in the South African Games.”

Mr Middleton said if Mr Cassimjee was successful, he would have “pulled off the scoop of the year”.

“We have advised him, however, to bring out individual stars, like Pele, to play for our clubs. FIFA cannot stop that.” Ends – May 9 1973