The idea of not mixing sports and politics was essential to the pro-tour argument. The belief that neither of them should have anything to do with each other provided reason for people pro tour and just enraged the anti-tour protester who believed you could not turn a blind eye. Muldoon assured New Zealanders that the government was not going to cancel or interfere with the 1981 tour, and stood true to their word for it was not cancelled. More than anything the Springbok Tour drew attention to the fact that sport and politics are mixed together, and will continue to be mixed. Critics believe if the Muldoon administration had interfered more with the tour substantial amounts of violence could have been avoided. There were reports of the government sending spies into the ranks of the anti-tour protesters to again quell and manage the organised outbursts across New Zealand spiralling society and the entire country into chaos.
The events of 1981 went on to show the extent of the role the government and politics play in sport. It was a wakeup call for New Zealand society through the fact that they now saw that by standing up to the government through their right to protest they could do their part and make known their voice. Even though the protest was unsuccessful on the grounds the tour was not cancelled it proved that by rising up, attention was brought to an international issue which saw New Zealand suffer on the world stage with our ethics on question by the commonwealth. Without the government’s involvement, or lack of, during the Springbok tour, the government may not have become so involved in future sporting events to ensure they went according to plan, as well as provide funds to anticipate the results New Zealand as a country thrive on.
The events of 1981 went on to show the extent of the role the government and politics play in sport. It was a wakeup call for New Zealand society through the fact that they now saw that by standing up to the government through their right to protest they could do their part and make known their voice. Even though the protest was unsuccessful on the grounds the tour was not cancelled it proved that by rising up, attention was brought to an international issue which saw New Zealand suffer on the world stage with our ethics on question by the commonwealth. Without the government’s involvement, or lack of, during the Springbok tour, the government may not have become so involved in future sporting events to ensure they went according to plan, as well as provide funds to anticipate the results New Zealand as a country thrive on.