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Thread ID: 59470 2005-07-03 13:38:00 Cricket in Zimbabwe: Tour Or No Tour? vinref (6194) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
369045 2005-07-04 04:17:00 I gather that the fines money wouldn't just "probably" end up in Mugabe's hands, but definitely would...
And THAT is the major drawback about standing on principle & refusing to tour.

Even if NZ Cricket decided to just pay the fine, Mugabe ( a major cricket fan. Think he may be patron) would still win in a different way.
What's more, even the amount of $2 million or so which is being suggested is only guesswork. Tanzania would be entitled to claim for all losses entailed by the cancellation. That includes TV rights, loss of tourism dollars etc - and obviously everything they couild think of would be added to the claim.

That, to my mind, is the sticking point.
It's all very well making a stand against a dictator - but what do you do if that provides him with extra cash in hand to help prop up his regime?
It's a no-win situation right now.
Normally I'd say of course we shouldn't go. But I can sympathise with NZ Cricket - and the government - as I certainly have no answers...
Laura (43)
369046 2005-07-04 04:25:00 Surely, someone on the NZ Cricket Council should have thought of these problems before the tour was planned, unless it was planned before Mugabe went feral, which was at least 4 years ago? vinref (6194)
369047 2005-07-04 04:54:00 Apparently it goes back to a decision some years ago when the big ICC members acknowledged that they had to help the minnows so as to foster the game. So they all agreed contractually, to tour and play with the small nations instead of just having a few elite teams.

All very high minded and well intentioned. No-one thought about the political ramifications except in the positive sense of doing good for small countries.
Winston001 (3612)
369048 2005-07-04 04:59:00 I see. Well, it is now turned on its head and the benefit to the small countries, at least Zimbabwe, no longer applies. vinref (6194)
369049 2005-07-04 06:09:00 there are no white zimbabwean cricketer's left, they have all fled
and as why Robert Mugabee isn't 6 foot under, there's no oil there or not enough!
plod (107)
369050 2005-07-04 06:48:00 Has anyone noticed the remarkable resemblence of the current photos of Mugabe to Peter Jacksons' King Kong ?

Perhaps I'm doing King Kong a disservice :thumbs:
Terry Porritt (14)
369051 2005-07-04 08:49:00 It's pretty simple at the end of the day
All involved should just play Mugabes own game of "who cares we'll do as we please"
No Tour
No fines
No cash payments from anyone

And no I don't care if that brings all concerned down to his level
And no I don't care about any PC or politics involved
There are millions of people suffering needlessly and all concerned in this fiasco need to get some balls and put whatever pressure necessary to let Mugabe know the rest of society think he's a fruitcake
Not that somenoe with as much intelligence as a dead goldfish will care as he is obviously seriously mentally impaired
A nickel spinner is the only reasonable solution
bartsdadhomer (80)
369052 2005-07-04 14:46:00 According to this story ( . com . au/news/world/nz-wont-issue-visas-to-zimbabwe-cricketers/2005/07/04/1120329380664 . html?oneclick=true" target="_blank">smh . com . au) (Sydney Morning Herald, reg req'd) the NZ government may not issue visa's to visiting Zimbabwean cricketers in December . And may also not allow the tour to Zimbabwe if there are security concerns .

The story also reports that the governor of the central bank in Zimbabwe, Gideon Gono, is in Canada trying to convince expatriate Zimbabweans to keep sending remittances as the country has no more foreign reserves . Apparently, he is also planning to go to NZ to do the same .

When you have no foreign reserves, you cannot import anything, especially oil, food and spare parts . Zimbabwe is a net importer of these things . Woe to the people of Zimbabwe .
vinref (6194)
369053 2005-07-04 23:04:00 Just had a pal who lives in Siam visit,he tells me that the lot at the top have no interest at all in the ones at the bottom,it's is the same in Africa,it there culture.
For the likes of the mayor of Wanga who hates the English,you should remember that the culture they gave you,is one of fair play,one that seems to be foreign to all those with a sort of cast system.
Cicero (40)
369054 2005-07-04 23:15:00 Alrighty, How did we get from Mugabe to Micheal Laws?...and since when has he hated the english?

Besides, Have a look at English history, Their cast system was as strong as India's, and still shapes their society.

Lets ask the Scots how much fair play they recieved over the last 1500 years.Or visit the dirtbowl accros teh ditch and track down an Abbo,Ask him how things have gone for him since the Poms rocked up in their flash ships.

The difference between the Poms and the Germans?

The Germans sucked at world domination compared to the Poms.
Metla (12)
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