Doug PollardShould the Australian Cricket Team go to Zimbabwe?
The Australian Cricket team's tour of Zimbabwe is in doubt after there were calls from Federal Labor and the Greens to cancel the tour because of the political violence that has taken over Zimbabwe in the last couple of weeks.
Members of Zimbabwe's opposition (Movement for Democratic Change) have bashed and refused travel for medical treatment by the Zimbabwe government. Factional leader of the MDC, Arthur Mutambara was even re arrested yesterday along with at 10 other democracy activists, including former Australian, Sekai Holland. Zimbabwe President and Tyrant, Robert Mugabe has told critics of his government that they could 'go hang' and has even said he would expell any foreign diplomat critical of him or his government out of the country.
Australian Prime Minister, John Howard has said he would look at tightening sanctions against the Zimbabwe government but made no mention of Australia's cricket tour to Zimbabwe later this year.
The Australian cricket team are due to face Zimbabwe in three one day matches in September, under the International Cricket Council's rules, a national cricket side cannot cancel a tour unless it's for security or safety reasons, if it's for a reasonn other then that then the side cancelling could face massive fines from the ICC and, in Australia's case, the Zimbabwe Cricket Board.
I am pretty passionate about this issue and I feel that our cricketers should NOT be forced to go and play in Zimbabwe because I believe it would only justify what Mugabe has done to democracy and freedom of speech in ZImbabwe, besides what person in Zimbabwe could afford to see a cricket match now? Most people are struggling to even buy food! The only people that could possibly afford to go are Mugabe and his government henchmen. The Australian government should also pay at least half the fine and ban our Australian cricketers from playing in Zimbabwe because if we do let them play over there then we are doing nothing more then doing exactly what the ICC has done: justifying the Mugabe regime. I know it's dangerous to mix sport with politics but in this case, it HAS to be done.
What should happen to the Australian cricket team's tour of Zimbabwe?
Members of Zimbabwe's opposition (Movement for Democratic Change) have bashed and refused travel for medical treatment by the Zimbabwe government. Factional leader of the MDC, Arthur Mutambara was even re arrested yesterday along with at 10 other democracy activists, including former Australian, Sekai Holland. Zimbabwe President and Tyrant, Robert Mugabe has told critics of his government that they could 'go hang' and has even said he would expell any foreign diplomat critical of him or his government out of the country.
The Australian cricket team are due to face Zimbabwe in three one day matches in September, under the International Cricket Council's rules, a national cricket side cannot cancel a tour unless it's for security or safety reasons, if it's for a reasonn other then that then the side cancelling could face massive fines from the ICC and, in Australia's case, the Zimbabwe Cricket Board.
I am pretty passionate about this issue and I feel that our cricketers should NOT be forced to go and play in Zimbabwe because I believe it would only justify what Mugabe has done to democracy and freedom of speech in ZImbabwe, besides what person in Zimbabwe could afford to see a cricket match now? Most people are struggling to even buy food! The only people that could possibly afford to go are Mugabe and his government henchmen. The Australian government should also pay at least half the fine and ban our Australian cricketers from playing in Zimbabwe because if we do let them play over there then we are doing nothing more then doing exactly what the ICC has done: justifying the Mugabe regime. I know it's dangerous to mix sport with politics but in this case, it HAS to be done.
What should happen to the Australian cricket team's tour of Zimbabwe?
