A photograph which conveyed congratulations to Australian tennis sensation and local resident, Patrick Rafter, has invoked the anger of at least one member of the local sporting fraternity.

The ad, which took up half a page in the September 11 edition of The Royal Gazette , shows several persons including United Bermuda Party backbencher Michael Dunkley, posing with a picture of Mr. Rafter. The silverware in the picture has been superimposed.

In a letter to the Editor, a tennis fan who did not want to be identified, was critical since the photo did not include any any black persons.

His letter said: "The message that this picture sends out is an all too familiar one.

"These Bermudian whites may be colleagues or acquaintances of blacks but at the end of the day their real friends will never extend beyond lily-white Coral Beach...what I am saying is that this racial polarisation in 1997 is disgraceful. Absolutely disgraceful! "To take up half the second page of The Royal Gazette with this `clique-fest' is to flaunt arrogance.'' The photograph shows a group of about 30 people underneath a caption which read "Congratulations Pat on your US Open victory from all your friends in Bermuda.'' And the letter writer pointed out that blacks have played a role in the sport on the Island and both the All Bermuda Tennis Club and the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Club have black presidents.

Not to include some blacks in the picture, the letter writer argued, was responsible for some of the racial polarisation that currently exists.

But Mr. Dunkley was unmoved by this criticism. He said: "A friend of mine told me about the letter and I dismissed it. I do not know who wrote it and it does not matter that it was unsigned.

"That person does not know the circumstances behind that photograph, so for him to come and comment on the photograph and speak about racism shows that he must be a racist himself.

"He is not aware on the facts of the photograph or when it was taken. One of the biggest problems we have today is racism because people like to claim things are racial without delving into the issues.

"That photo is of a group of people that got together a long time ago.

Patrick Rafter happened to be involved in that at the time. That's all it was.'' Both former All Bermuda Tennis Club president Allan Simmons and current Bermuda Lawn Tennis Club president David Lambert saw no problem with the photograph when they were contacted.

Mr. Simmons and Mr. Lambert said they did not give the photo a second look because they only noticed the presence of the persons in the picture and not their racial identities.

"I never got the impression from looking at the picture that this group of people embodied the prejudice still existing in Bermuda,'' Mr. Lambert said.

"At the BLTA we like to think that we are colour blind. We want to see the development of the sport and we try to move along those lines. I don't think anyone can change a person's opinion.'' Meanwhile, Larry Samuels of the ABTC said that he remembered the picture which depicted "the Coral Beach crowd.'' "There is a non progressive side to the photograph and this particular one just points to insensitivity or lack of concern about what that picture conveys.

"I am a recent graduate of the National Training Laboratory's diversity training course and I appreciate the need to have a semblance of diversity wherever you can when photographs are taken.

"This photo does say in some way where we are. Tennis is still seen as a white, elite, sport and that has been a contention regarding the XL tournament.'' Mr. Samuels said that many blacks and a few whites do not attend the function because it is held at the Coral Beach Club and would rather the venue change to something more friendly.

"Tennis still has that onus placed upon it so when a picture like this comes up it demonstrates clearly where we are really at.

"That photo says that it is Bermuda welcoming Mr. Rafter, but in point of fact that is not what it is.'' ONE OF THE BEST -- Australian Patrick Rafter who also makes his home in Bermuda.

DISCRIMINATION DIS