population intensified into violence, landing young protesters like Nelson Mandela in jail. Thousands more were arrested or killed. As the world tried to pressure South Africa's leadership, sanctions were applied, and sport was no exception. In 1970, the International Cricket Council banned South Africa from international competition, leaving the country's cricket-mad fans deprived of the sport they loved, and their cricketers of the careers they dreamed of. You 're always optimistic, said former South African cricketer Clive Rice. The stupidity that existed would change and South Africa would change much quicker, and we 'd be back playing international sport. But it hung on and hung on. ` Rebel tours ' To save cricket in South Africa, the sport's administrators knew something had to be done. So, in secret, they began planning rebel tours -- inviting various teams from around the world. It was a bold move to defy the ICC's ban by offering lucrative contracts. In March 1982, the first rebel team from England arrived in Johannesburg. From our point of view, we knew we had the best cricketers in the world, said former South African Cricket Union president Joe Pamensky, one of the rebel tour organizers. We wanted to show them off to the world so they would see it the same as we saw it. Later that year, a team from Sri Lanka followed. And it was n't long before many began