Sports

Retired SA tennis great asks Wimbledon for apology over a 52-year-old grievance

Published

1 year ago

June 30, 2023

A retired South African tennis player, Hoosen Bobat, who was denied a chance to compete in the Wimbledon classic in the 1970s, has demanded a public apology from the organisers of the tournament 52 years after.

Bobat who was a budding tennis star had qualified for the junior tournament in 1971 at a time when apartheid was at its peak but was denied the chance to participate in the event after his invitation was revoked just one week before the tournament.

Now 52 years after the denial, he is demanding that the organisers and the sport’s international governing body tender an apology to him.

“After all those years of training and practice, I had the opportunity to play in the greatest stage in the world,” Bobat told the BBC Newsday in an interview on Friday.

“When my entry was accepted, there was great joy in Africa among black players. It would have been a gateway to my future tennis career,” he said.

According to the embittered Bobat, the real reason he was blocked from participating in the Wimbledon tournament was because of racism and the apartheid regime in South Africa which was actively supported by the British government despite international opposition to it.

He said at the time non-white players in South Africa were not allowed to play against their white counterparts, while matches at all-white tennis centres were watched from caged sections.

“Even now, nothing much has changed. There are less black – which we define as Indian, coloured and black – tennis players now than then,” he lamented.

Bobat’s demand for apology has been backed by two British MPs and anti-apartheid veterans, Peter Hain and Jeremy Corbyn, who raised the matter in parliament, while Wimbledon’s organisers, the AELTC, and tennis’ international governing body, the ITF, say they are reviewing the information.

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Sports

Ghanaian winger Fatawu out for season with ACL injury

Published

19 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghana and Leicester City winger, Abdul Fatawu, has been ruled out of the rest of the EPL season after suffering an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury during Ghana’s 1-1 draw with Angola in a 2025 AFCON match during the international break.

Leicester coach, Steve Cooper, who announced the news on Thursday, said the 20-year-old enterprising player suffered a “serious” knee injury which will see him out for the rest of the season.

“It’s not good, it’s a serious injury,” Cooper said ahead of his side’s home tie against Chelsea on Saturday.

“He’s had an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury that is going to rule him out for the rest of the season. It’s a real blow, first and foremost for him, being a young player and having an injury as serious as what an ACL is.

“Albeit, it can be quite common in sport and in particular football, but it’s still a serious injury. For it to happen at a young age is a blow for him and a blow for us as well.

“He’s obviously a big talent and a young player, as exciting as he can be at his age, with lots to learn.

“It’s only a pause and we will make sure, as difficult as it is at the moment for him, that he comes back being a stronger player and person, which with the mentality and character that he has, I think will be the case,” the gaffer said.

Fatawu has been a key player for the Foxes, helping them gain promotion last season and has played 11 times for them in the league during the present campaign, scoring two goals.

Sports

SA football legend Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe passes away

Published

2 days ago

November 20, 2024

Isaac Dachen

South African football legend, Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe, has passed away at the age of 71 after a long battle with illness.

According to South African media, Moripe lit up the country’s football fields in the 1970s and became a rallying point for football in the country, especially in the apartheid era.

“Moripe, who mesmerised opponents and spectators alike during an injury ravaged career, spent his last years confined to a wheelchair after suffering a stroke, and died at his home on Tuesday at the age of 71,” one media report said.

“Moripe, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players the country has produced by those who saw him play, was called “the god of football”’ by adoring fans during the early 1970s in a nod to his natural talents.

“He was feared by defenders and goalkeepers and his style of play was synonymous with flair, finesse and the golden era of South African football.

“In recent years Moripe was confined to a wheelchair after suffering a mild stroke that was worsened by the effects of a long-term knee injury that stopped his playing career in the late 1980s.

“Throughout his career, Moripe played for the Orlando Pirates and the Pretoria Callies, winning the respect of both teammates and supporters.

“In 2010, the Atteridgeville Super Stadium was renamed the Lucas “Masterpieces” Moripe Stadium in honor of his noteworthy achievements to South African football. Major football games are still held at this stadium, which now stands as a tribute to his legacy.

“Moripe’s career highlights include leading Pretoria Callies to victory against top clubs and earning the 1973 NPSL Player of the Year and Sportsman of the Year titles.

“He also played internationally for Caroline Hill in Hong Kong and briefly for Orlando Pirates. Persistent knee injuries ended his playing career in the late 1980s.”