South Africa's government yesterday faced renewed furore over its foreign policy after it decided to ban a visit by the Dalai Lama. Two of the country's Nobel laureates - Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former President FW de Klerk - lambasted the move and said that in protest at the decision to deny a visa to the Tibetan spiritual leader they would not attend a peace conference later this week.

Mr Tutu, Mr De Klerk and Nelson Mandela, a third Nobel laureate, in November had each signed an invitation to the Dalai Lama to Friday's conference - designed to highlight how, ahead of next year's World Cup, football can counter racism and xenophobia.