The Cavalier daily :: Tuesday, April 1, 1968 :: University of Virginia Library

Looking forward to next fall's
Olympics in Mexico City, Coach
Lou Onesty has not yet decided
whether, to enter his athletes or to
boycott the event because of alleged
Negro discrimination
throughout the United States.

The University's liberal athletic
department refused to make any
comment on those colleges
seemingly discriminating against
Negro athletes, and asked why
colleges shouldn't have black athletes
as they so often turn out to
be invaluable assets to their teams.

When asked if his team's boycotting
of the Olympics would hurt
the United States effort, Coach
Onesty stated that the absence of
his all-white trackmen would be
sorely felt.

After learning of Coach Onesty's
dilemma, Mike Harvey, the Cavalier's
sixth place finisher in the
NCAA meet earlier in March expressed
his desire to compete and
threatened to transfer over the summer
to the University's arch rival
in track, Springfield College, if
Coach Onesty decided to definitely
boycott the Olympics.

There was also speculation that
the Cavalier cindermen did not
want to compete in Mexico City,
not because of the altitude but
because of the weather. The team
prefers Acapulco which is near the
ocean where the atmosphere is a
bit more moist.

Some of the team members commented
that the girl watching
would be much more rewarding
there, also.

As of now there is not a final
decision, and Coach Onesty says
he may wait till the end of the
inter-collegiate season to get some
further advice from Ralph Boston.

Mike Harvey has refused to
follow the advice of Boston if it
is to boycott the Olympics, because
he believes Boston may be
trying to avoid a direct encounter
which would show who is actually
the superior broad jumper. It
will prove interesting to see which
way Coach Onesty decides, but
his decision will nevertheless represent
the University's policy internationally.

Virginia's Track Aspirants-All White

Coach Onesty, As Team Leader, May Start New Trend Of White Boycott