‘Here Come “Chelsea” of Sweden’: Djurgården Football Club on Tour in Apartheid South Africa

Abstract

In this article we argue that while apartheid, boycotts and South African sport have received significant coverage and focus, this has primarily been restricted to Britain and former white colonies of the Commonwealth such as Australia and New Zealand. In addition, sports such as cricket and rugby receive most attention. We argue that it is useful to consider other countries and sports engaged in apartheid South Africa. We consider Swedish engagement with apartheid South Africa and focus the case study of our analysis on the tour by champions Djurgården to the country in 1955. The tourists received favourable and widespread support in South Africa and Sweden. Yet towards the end of the tour sections of the Swedish press asked critical and probing questions of the club's tour to South Africa. We contend that the tour can be viewed as naïve and apolitical and in a similar vein to the organization of Swedish sports at that time. Only after the intensification of suppression of opposition to apartheid in South Africa from the 1960s onwards do we see a change in stance on the part of Swedish sports authorities.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Professor Dil Porter (De Montfort University) who looked at an earlier draft of this paper and provided valuable suggestions and input.

Notes

1. Håkan Thörn, Solidaritetens betydelse. Kampen mot apartheid i Sydafrika och framväxten av dt globala civilsamhället (Stockholm: Atlas, 2010), 80.

2. See for example: Douglas Booth, ‘Hitting Apartheid for Six? The Politics of the South African Sports Boycott’, Journal of Contemporary History 38, no. 3 (2003): 477–93; Douglas Booth, “South Africa's ‘Autonomous Sport’ Strategy: Desegregation Apartheid Style”, Sporting Traditions 6, no. 2 (1990): 155–79; Adrian Guelke, ‘Sport and the End of apartheid’, in The Changing Politics of Sport, ed. L. Allison (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1993); Malcolm MacLean, ‘Anti-apartheid Boycotts and the Effective Economies of Struggle: The Case of Aotearoa New Zealand’, Sport in Society 13, no. 1 (2010): 72–91; Christopher Merrett, ‘“In nothing else are the Deprivers so Deprived”: South African Sport, Apartheid and Foreign Relations’, International Journal of the History of Sport 13, no. 2 (1996): 146–65; Christopher Merrett, ‘Aurora: The Challenge of Non-racial Cricket to the Apartheid State of the Mid-1970s,’ International Journal of the History of Sport 18, no, 4 (2001): 95–122; Sam Ramsamy, Apartheid The Real Hurdle: Sport in South Africa and the International Boycott (London: International Defence and Aid Fund for Southern Africa, 1982) and Richard Thompson, Race and Sport (London: Oxford University Press, 1964).

3. Per Olof Holmäng, ‘Sport and Foreign Politics. The Swedish Sports Movement's International Relations 1919–1945’ (Diss. Göteborg University, 1989), 6.

4. Chris Bolsmann, ‘South African Football Tours at the Turn of Twentieth Century: Amateurs, Pioneers and Profits’, African Historical Review 42, no. 1 (2010): 91–112. See also Peter Alegi, ‘Playing to the Gallery? Sport, Cultural Performance, and Social Identity in South Africa, 1920s–1945’, International Journal of African Historical Studies 35, no. 1 (2002): 17–38.

5. Chris Bolsmann, ‘White Football in South Africa: Empire, Apartheid and Change, 1892–1977’. Soccer & Society 11, nos. 1–2 (2010): 29–45.

6. See Peter Alegi, Laduma!: Soccer, Politics and Society in South Africa (Scotsville: University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 2004).

7. In any analysis of South Africa a consideration of the use of racial categories is necessary. We accept that the term ‘race’ is a social construct and for this purposes we have used inverted commas when referring to ‘race’.

8. See Bolsmann, ‘White Football’.

9. ‘Multiracial’ implied sport could be played between groups of teams defined on the basis of ‘race’ such as ‘black’ versus ‘white’ teams. ‘Non-racial’ sport meant teams were comprised of players irrespective of apartheid racial categories. See Robert Archer and Antoine Boullion, The South African Game: Sport and Racism (London: Zed Press, 1982); Douglas Booth, The Race Game: Sport and Politics in South Africa (London: Frank Cass, 1998); John Nauright, Sport, Cultures and Identities in South Africa (London: Leicester University Press, 1997).

10. Booth, The Race Game, 58.

11. Bolsmann, ‘White Football’.

12. Alegi, Laduma!

13. Hans Bolling, The Maker of His Own Health. Ideas, Initiatives, and Organizations within Swedish Sport for All between 1945 and 1981 (Stockholm: Acta Universitatis Stockholmiensis/Almqvist & Wiksell International, 2005), 302f; Johan R. Norberg, ‘A Mutual Dependency: Nordic Sports Organizations and the State’, in The Nordic World: Sport in Society, eds Henrik Meinander and J.A. Mangan (London: Frank Cass, 1998), 120f; Johan R. Norberg, Sport's Road to the Welfare State. Studies in Swedish Government Policy towards Sport, 1913–1970 (Stockholm, SISU idrottsböcker, 2004), 470.

14. Rolf Pålbrant, Arbetarrörelsen och idrotten (Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell International, 1977), 41 ff.

15. Jan Lindroth, Sport between the Wars. Organizations, Leaders and Ideas in the Swedish Sports Movement 1919–1939 (Stockholm: HLS förlag, 1987), 357f; Henrik Sandblad, Sport and Ideas – Aspects of the Rise of the Modern Sports Movement (Stockholm, Almqvist & Wiksell International, 1985), 405f.

16. Lars-Inge Ström, Idrott och politik. Idrottsrörelsens politiska roll i Tredje riket, DDR och Förbundsrepubliken (Stockholm: Rabén & Sjögren, 1977), 124ff.

17. Per Olof Holmäng, Sport and foreign politics. The Swedish sports movement's international relations 1919–1945 (Gothenburg, Diss. Göteborg; Univ., 1989), Hans Bonde, Football with the foe. Danish sport under the Swastika (Odense, Syddansk Universitetsforlag, 2008).

18. Johnny Wijk, Idrott, krig och nationell gemenskap. Om riksmarscher, fältsport och Gunder Hägg-feber (Eslöv: Symposium. 2005), 272ff.

19. Expressen, March 21, April 5, 7, 11, 13, 17 and May 18, 1949: Herbert Tingsten, Problemet Sydafrika (Stockholm, Bonnier, 1954).

20. Dagens Nyheter, June 14, 1955.

21. Dagens Nyheter, June 19, 1955.

22. Åke Magnusson, Sverige–Sydafrika. En studie av en ekonomisk relation (Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, 1974). Utrikesdepartementet, Allmänna ekonomiska sanktioner mot Sydafrika: redogörelse: utarbetad av särskilt tillsatt arbetsgrupp (Stockholm: Utrikesdepartementet, 1966), 5.

23. Kaj Björk, Sydafrika och vi (Stockholm: Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetarparti, 1965).

24. Magnusson, Sverige–Sydafrika, 77.

25. Lennart K Persson, Den hårda kampen. Fotboll i Sverige, särskilt Göteborg, före första världskriget (Lindome: Bricoleur Press, 2011), ch. 3.

26. Martin Alsiö, ‘13 män vid bordet har nu blivit 14’, SFS-Bolletinen. Medlemstidning för Sveriges fotbollshistoriker och statistiker 2 (2012), 13f.

27. Martin Alsiö, ‘13 män vid bordet har nu blivit 14’, SFS-Bolletinen. Medlemstidning för Sveriges fotbollshistoriker och statistiker 2 (2012), 14; Gunnar Person, Bäst på planen. Svenska fotbollsproffs 1949–1999 (Stockholm: Bonnier Carlsen, 1999), 7.

28. Hans Bolling and Anders Johrén, De första 116 åren. Boken om AIK fotboll 1897–2012 (Solna: AIK Fotboll, 2012), 364ff; Wolf Lyberg, Jorden runt på 80 år. Ett resande liv i idrottens tecken, 1917–1997 (Vällingby: Strömberg, 1997), 122f; Bill Sund, Fotbollens maktfält. Svensk fotbollshistoria i ett internationellt perspektiv (Solna: Svenska fotbollförbundet, 1997), 178ff. Interview, Rolf Baum, June 2007.

29. Bill Sund, ‘The British and Continental Influence on Swedish Football’, The International Journal of the History of Sport 14, no. 2 (1997): p. 170 f.

30. Torbjörn Andersson, King Football. The Cultural History of Swedish Football, c. 1890–1950 (Eslöv: Symposium, 2002), 619 ff.

31. Eric Litchfield, ‘Arsenal Tour? They Won't Give Answer’, Sunday Times, April 10, (Johannesburg, South Africa), 1955.

32. Quoted in ‘Arsenal Tour Off “Strain too much”’, Rand Daily Mail, April 16, 1955, 1.

33. Quoted in ‘Swedes in 9-match tour’, Rand Daily Mail, April 19, 1955.

34. ‘Swedish soccer XI features “terrible twins”’, The Star, June 6, 1955, 24.

35. ‘Tour men get practice’, Sunday Times, May 22, 1955.

36. See Stanley Matthews, My Autobiography: The Way it Was (London: Headline, 2000).

37. Hans Garpe, Med Djurgården till Fjärran Östern (Stockholm: M. Bergvall, 1952).

38. Wolf Lyberg, Jorden runt på 80 år. Ett resande liv i idrottens tecken, 1917–1997 (Vällingby, Strömberg, 1997), 103.

39. Svenska Dagbladet, April 19, 1955.

40. Dagens Nyheter, April 19, 1955.

41. Idrottsbladet, April 20, 1955.

42. Idrottsbladet, 20 April 1955.

43. ‘Matthews chosen for FA Tour’, Rand Daily Mail, April 20, 1955, 18.

44. Stockholms stadsarkiv, Djurgårdens IF, ÖS, April 25, 1955, §10.

45. Anders Bernmar, “Dom kallar mej rövar'n” (Göteborg: PRAB Sporting Life, 1994), 65ff.

46. ‘Along the Sportways’, Sunday Times, May 15, 1955, 24.

47. Morgon-Tidningen, July 21, 1955; Idrottsbladet, July 22, 1955.

48. Stockholms stadsarkiv, Djurgårdens IF, ÖS, April 25, 1955, §10; www.norges-bank.no/Upload/import/publikasjoner/skriftserie/35/chapter7.pdf, accessed 28 September 2012.

49. Stockholms stadsarkiv, Djurgårdens IF, ÖS, May 10, 1955, §5.

50. ‘Here Come “Chelsea” of Sweden’, Sunday Times, June 12, 1955.

51. ‘Here Come “Chelsea” of Sweden’, Sunday Times, June 12, 1955.

52. ‘Impressive practice by soccer players from Sweden’, The Star, June 14, 1955, 24.

53. ‘Impressive practice by soccer players from Sweden’, The Star, June 14, 1955, 24.

54. ‘Swedes Field Seven internationals at Stadium’, The Star, June 17, 1955, 24.

55. Lars-Gunnar Elg and Tommy Wahlsten, ‘Djurgårdens turné till Sydafrika sommaren 1955’, SFS-Bolletinen. Medlemstidning för Sveriges fotbollshistoriker och statistiker 2 (2010), 20f.

56. See Rand Daily Mail, June 17, 1955, 16 for example.

57. ‘Swedes’ Brilliant 5–2 Win over S. Transvaal’, The Star, June 18, 1955.

58. Eric Litchfield ‘Swedes (What a Team!) Dissect Home Team’, Sunday Times, June 19, 21.

59. Eric Litchfield ‘Swedes (What a Team!) Dissect Home Team’, Sunday Times, June 19, 21.

60. Idrottsbladet, June 27, 1955.

61. Alegi, Playing to the Gallery?

62. Southern Transvaal Football Association Annual Report 1955, Johannesburg City Library.

63. ‘Matthews Scheme Draw Against Djurgardens’, Sunday Times, June 20, 1955, 16.

64. Idrottsbladet, June 29, 1955.

65. Lyberg, Jorden runt på 80 år, 106.

66. Idrottsbladet, July 1, 1955.

67. Dagens Nyheter, July 7, 1955.

68. Idrottsbladet, July 8, 1955.

69. Idrottsbladet, July 4, 1955.

70. Idrottsbladet, July 8, 1955.

71. ‘Seven-goal Lesson for Rhodesia’, The Chronicle, July 11, 1955.

72. Idrottsbladet, July 18 and 20, 1955.

73. ‘ “Forgotten Man” Nets Two and “Makes” One’, Sunday Times, July, 17, 1955.

74. ‘Swedes Blame Themselves for Defeat’, Rand Daily Mail, July 18, 1955, 5.

75. Idrottsbladet, July 11, 1955.

76. Idrottsbladet, July 15, 1955.

77. Idrottsbladet, July 15, 1955.

78. Idrottsbladet, July 20, 1955.

79. Idrottsbladet, July 20, 1955.

80. Idrottsbladet, July 4, 1955.

81. Southern Transvaal Football Association Annual Report 1955, Johannesburg City Library.

82. See Bolsmann, ‘White Football’; Peter Alegi, ‘Katanga v Johannesburg: A History of the First Sub-Saharan African football Championship, 1949–50’, African Historical Review 31 (1999): 55–74.

83. See Noticias, 5, 8, 9 and 12 June, 1958.

84. The Star, June 14, 1958; The Sunday Times, June 15, reported 14,000 in attendance.

85. Rand Daily Mail, June 2, 1958.

86. Southern Transvaal Football Association Annual Report 1958, Johannesburg City Library.

87. Noticias, June 23, 1958.

88. See E'ssor du Congo, June 23, 1958.

89. See E'ssor du Congo, June 7, 1958.

90. Tor Sellström, Sweden and National Liberation in Southern Africa, vol. I: Formation of a Popular Opinion 1950–1970 (Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, 1999); Tor Sellström, Sweden and National Liberation in Southern Africa, vol. II: Solidarity and Assistance 1970–1994 (Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet, 2002).

91. Sandviktens Tidning, June 24, 1958. There is no evidence to suggest the Djurgarden tour of 1955 was beset by problems on and off the field as suggested by the Sandviktens Tidning in 1958.

92. Stig Jacobsson (ed.), Sandvikens idrottsförening 1918–1958: jubileumsskift (Gävle: Arbetarbladet, 1958), 35. Börje Carlsson, Sandvikens IF 1918–1968: jubileumsskrift (Sandviken: Fören, 1968).

93. See Per Wästerberg ‘Sport och rasförtryck’, Dagens Nyheter, July 12, 1962 quoted in Sellström, Sweden and National Liberation in Southern Africa, vol. I.

94. Sellström, Sweden and National Liberation in Southern Africa, vol. I, 348.

95. Håkan Thörn, Solidaritetens betydelse. Kampen mot apartheid i Sydafrika och framväxten av det globala samhället (Stockholm: Atlas, 2010), 219.

96. National Archives, RF, Protokoll fört vid extra riksidrottsmöte, November 30, 1968.