Australian tour to Zimbabwe 2007

[Richard Jenkins]

Australia were due to tour Zimbabwe in 2007 and play three ODI's but no tests.

The Australian government has said they dont want the tour to go ahead and that they dont want any compensation to go to Mugabe's regime.

Three ODI hardly seems worth the diplomatic incident the tour could cause. Zimbabwian cricket does need exposureto world class teams, that I agree, and the infrastructure needs money . But in a country nearing economic meltdown who will pay to see the matches? Inflation runs at thousands of opercent in Zimbabwe.

touring countries cant be seen to be 'suporting' regimes like this. Mugabe is steeped in blood.

[Flatdog]

Originally Posted by Richard Jenkins

Three ODI hardly seems worth the diplomatic incident the tour could cause. Zimbabwian cricket does need exposureto world class teams, that I agree, and the infrastructure needs money . .

it does seem like a lot of fuss for 3 matches....
as for the exposure to top teams, that will also improve competitiveness but once the players get enough experience, they just dissappear into the english county game so what is the point?
as for the money, if the "board" of the ZCU were not such a bunch of corrupt, theiving, despotic scumbags, then maybe the game in zim would have the benefits of the ICC $s....

IMO Aus should not go there.......unless the ICC fine will end up in ZCU hands...

[Wanderer]

In the ideal world politics and sport dont mix. But we all know this world is a million miles from ideal...

That's why SA sport was isolated from the international fold for decades.

But then, the whole world was against the SA government policies..and it was easy to boycott SA. Maybe the ICC need to impose a ban on all tours to Zim. That will end this issue once and for all. The stadiums will be empty anyways...

[Wanderer]

Zim government has stated that they refuse to have the matches played at a neutral venue. Its their prerogative I suppose.

[Occasional Fan]

If indeed it is the law in Zimbabwe that the government can make such directives over its cricket team. Not a system I am particularly in favour of, but it seems to apply in Australia as well, where the government has reportedly ordered the team not to tour Zimbabwe.

[Wanderer]

Whether or not there is a specific law involved, is neither here nor there. No government, I suppose, want to be "dictated" to be a mere sports body...

[Occasional Fan]

But that cuts both ways: no sports body wants to be dictated to by a mere government. Nevertheless, both government and sports body should be bound by the rule of law.

[Wanderer]

Aah..but that is where the crux of the matter lies. It is about who has the power...And that is the government in this case. And when a government (read: dictator) has absolute power, well, we all know where that leads to...No rule of law then applies, because they are the law themselves.

On the other hand, a country like Australia, who is democratic I suppose, ought to abide by the laws of that constitution. If they willy-nilly "adapt" laws to suit them when they don't like a particular situation, its not very democratic now is it?

[Beny]

But that cuts both ways: no sports body wants to be dictated to by a mere government. Nevertheless, both government and sports body should be bound by the rule of law.

Lets just clarify what's gone on here, CA did not want to go to Zimbabwe but had little choice in the matter unless the federal goverment told them not to, which they did on the grounds that the tour would undermine Australia's diplomatic efforts in the region. The goverment will pay the $2million fine on their behalf.
As an Aussie, and for that matter a human being; I'm thrilled at the decision.