Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

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Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by brmtaylor.com admin »

Steven Price recently wrote an article about a possible isolation led by South Africa. Of more concern was Lovemore Banda's reaction to the M&G:
Lovemore Banda, the spokesperson for Cricket Zimbabwe, told the Mail & Guardian that Zimbabwe are committed to future tours around the world. He said: "Why should we be isolated? We don't understand why people would want to mix what is happening in our country politically with sport.

"We will continue to tour around the world to nations whom we are used to playing against. We will always fulfil our fixture [obligations] as per mandate of the ICC.

"When we are isolated we can talk more about it; for now we are focusing on playing more cricket. We are going to visit countries that come to visit us."
That is almost an admission, at the very least an acceptance, that time is running out!
Norman Arendse, president of CSA, said: "The Zimbabwean issue was on our agenda but there was no time to discuss it.

"For now CSA will continue to support Zimbabwean cricketers until a decision whether to isolate them or not is taken at the next board meeting. We will see if we can't get to the issue at our next meeting. For now we still stand by the ICC policy that we should support the Zimbabwean cricketers," Arendse said.
Ardense's words not too positive either. If South Africa boycott Zimbabwe, it's pretty safe to say the rest of the world will follow. If South Africa start the trend, ZC won't be able to play the race card like they can with Australia, England and New Zealand... but the cancellation of the West Indies A tour saw that stop really.

It doesn't look like great times ahead. A lot rests on this weeks election, but I think we all know what to expect. Cricket will be the least of anyone's worries in Zimbabwe after June 27.

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by Train Driver »

I hate to say it, but if the 'election' goes the way it seems to be going at the moment, isolation of cricket won't be the only thing to worry about.

I believe that virtually all countries will isolate Zimbabwe in every way. This will do nothing for the innocent Zimbabwean people, of course, other than increase their suffering, hopefully though the world may at last do someting about the murderous leadership currently in place.

I know nothing about Lovemore Banda, but if he is a decent man he really doesn't have much choice at this time than to toe the party line, if he is one of the party, then I hope he goes down with the rest of them.

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by Train Driver »

Well, CSA have announced that they will no longer support ZC in any form except under the ICC Future Tours Programme.

Zim now have no cricket until 2009, when Sri Lanka are due to be the opposition, followed by the 'tour to England' and World 20/20.

I'm not sure that very many of the present group of players will still be around when 2009 comes.

As BRM said "Cricket will be the least of anyone's worries in Zimbabwe after june 27".

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by brmtaylor.com admin »

This is getting increasingly messy. The ICC will be discussing the future of Zimbabwe at their meeting.

Love him or hate him, Peter Chingoka is the only man that can get Zimbabwe out of this mess... he'll obviously be relying on some strong support from the Asian bloc.

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by eugene »

Sadly enough isolation is becoming the only option. It just isn't acceptable in today's world to maintain sporting ties with countries run by despots. International isolation may be the only way to remove Chingoka and his thugs from power.

Perhaps the best option would be for the ICC to administer a Zimbabwe team based overseas until the situation in Zimbabwe improves. Once Zimbabwe is back to democratic rule the team could be returned to Zimbabwean ownership with a new board run by people who aren't Chingoka, Bvute, etc,. I am sure many former and current players would consider representing an ICC administered Zimbabwe team. When not playing internationally these players could play in domestic leagues of other countries and earn a good living. I am sure the ICC would never consider this but it makes sense to me at least. If you take the recognition, money, and players away from Chingoka and his thugs he would have nothing left.

I would be interested in what others think of this idea.

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by CrimsonAvenger »

eugene wrote:Perhaps the best option would be for the ICC to administer a Zimbabwe team based overseas until the situation in Zimbabwe improves. Once Zimbabwe is back to democratic rule the team could be returned to Zimbabwean ownership with a new board run by people who aren't Chingoka, Bvute, etc,.
This is what I had in mind and wished for as soon as Streak's rebels walked out on ZC. But, let's get real. This is nothing more than wishful thinking. After seeing ICC's apathy towards cricket in Zimbabwe (i.e., turning a blind eye towards the ground realities), there is no way such a team can come into existence.

As much as I hope and pray against it, a total block out similar to South Africa's decades ago looks more and more imminent. With the powerful Asian block, which supported Chingoka till now, maintaining (un)dignified silence, ICC might very well succumb to political pressure.

But would ICC spare a thought towards hundreds of young and upcoming cricketing talents, who chose cricket as a career? What will happen to them? They would be adding up towards the 85+% unemployment in the country. I just hope ICC recognizes all these issues before coming to a decision.

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by maehara »

I've generally been against any sort of sporting sanctions against Zim - the circumstances that made them effective against South Africa were unique to that country's sporting culture and they'd never have anything like the same effect on any other country (except possibly Australia & New Zealand) - but with the way the situation on the ground in playing out this week, I would support sporting suspension at the moment. Yes, I know that would be disastrous for Zimbabwean cricket, at least in the short term, but I don't think there are any options left.

- You can't ask sides to tour in the current situation. Even if there's a contractual obligation, players will simply refuse to come anyway.
- Any foreign tour becomes a junket for Bvute, Chingoka and others on the gravy train, and at the moment that shouldn't be permitted.
- Financial pressures are one of the few left that can be used against the Zim government. ZC is a large earner of forex, most of which ends up back in Zanu-PF hands thanks to close ZC's close ties and the way the forex regulations in Zim are drafted. Suspension by the ICC - which now looks likely - would close off that source of funding. You can bet any other sources of forex are being closely looked at by the US, UK and others... (The importance of forex: if you have access to hard currency, life in Zim can still be very comfortable. If you want Zanu-PF to experience a little of what they're inflicting on the rest of the country, you need to make them live off ZW$ like the rest of the population.)

I'd expect that normal ties with CSA and others would be restored once some sort of normality is restored, and (another!) rebuilding process could begin - but that may still be sometime away. If the ICC suspend Zimbabwe next week, I'd expect our international return to be at Associate level, too.

It really does sadden me that things have reached this point, but it doesn't surprise me either. Such is life.

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by brmtaylor.com admin »

The problem with a suspension will be the current crop of players. They are young, yes, so it wouldn't necessarily mean the end of their career - but they won't hang around for the situation to get better.

Taylor, Williams, etc will probably try and qualify for England. Ray Price will probably return to county cricket, while Taibu, Chigumbura, etc will probably try and qualify for South Africa.

The domestic players will suffer most. An international suspension means these guys have nothing to play for, they will move into other professions. Zimbabwe playing international cricket is the only thing keeping cricket alive in Zimbabwe I feel. Ordinary middle class Zimbabweans (black and white) that I've spoken to are much like middle class citizens of any other country when it comes to cricket. Besides the diehard fans, a lot take an interest but aren't too concerned one way or the other. At least there is a fan base there, but this interest will diminish if Zimbabwe don't play decent quality opposition.

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by Train Driver »

It looks as though some big steps have been taken today to bring forward possible isolation.

The ECB have followed the CSA step by withdrawing from bi-lateral agreements with Zim.

The biggest announcement though is that the British Government have written to the ECB instructing them not to allow Zim to play in this country next year, the ECB are now free of sanctions from the ICC as this is a Governmental decision, although whether the ICC will accept this and continue with the World 20/20 here next year or move it to the alternative, Canada, remains to be seen.

A very sad day for Zim cricket, but if it helps in any small way to bring about the much needed change of Government in Zim then it will have to be.

To those of you in Zimbabwe, i know it's not much, but many people elsewhere, black, white and coloured, are aware of your anguish and hope that some sort of settlement can be made which will bring about normality for you all. You are not forgotten.

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Re: Zimbabwe isolation imminent?

Post by zulu »

It gets bad to worse for zimbabwe. Just as the Zim team were staring to rebuild and look more competitive the politics get in the way, one can only hope that the crises in zimbabwe eases before zimbabwe can return to playing competitive cricket, because lets face it not many teams are going to want to play zim in the current situation.

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