A“…president of the South African Chess Federation, told reporters he regretted the decision. It came seven months after a FIDE meeting in Haifa, Israel, readmitted South Africa…”
The tendencies of FIDE officials showering favoritism upon racist regimes, whether FIDE in 1972, supporting the Soviet selection of Iceland which placed harsh restrictions on persons of African (black) descent, or current FIDE officials doling out vindictive threats of punishment upon the chess players who make a stand against Racist injustice, Apartheid and crimes against Human Rights, based on their moral convictions and personal principles. The unseemly behavior of current FIDE officials is not at all shocking, considering their stained history.
The Montgomery Advertiser Montgomery, Alabama Monday, July 25, 1977 - Page 5
Chess Group Bans South Africa
Lucerne, Switzerland (AP) — The International Chess Federation voted Sunday to temporarily expel South Africa for the second time in three years because of its racial policies.
About 20 delegates that supported South Africa walked out of the special session of the congress after the vote. U.S. representatives did not attend the congress.
The vote came on whether the South African federation should be excluded from competition or from all federation activities. Most Socialist and Third World countries voted to exclude South Africa from all activities and won 28-23.
Leonard Reitstein, president of the South African Chess Federation, told reporters he regretted the decision. It came seven months after a FIDE meeting in Haifa, Israel, readmitted South Africa, which had first been expelled in 1974.
Chess Group Bans South Africa 25 Jul 1977, Mon The Montgomery Advertiser (Montgomery, Alabama) Newspapers.com
