ICC Compelled to Consider Zimbabwe Sanctions

The cricket community finally appears to be hardening its policy on Zimbabwe. The withdrawal of Morgan Tsvangerai, leader of the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), from the second round of the country's general election appears to have been the tipping point that has forced cricket administrators to act after several years of muddled decision making in the face of the ongoing deterioration of Zimbabwe's social and political infrastructure.

Yesterday, even as the secretary general of the UN, Bang Ki-moon, condemned the conduct of Robert Mugabe's government in the general election, Cricket South Africa announced it was cutting all ties with Zimbabwe Cricket. This has forced the issue on to the agenda of the International Cricket Council's executive Board, which will meet to discuss the matter next Wednesday. South Africa had been one of the Zimbabwe's staunchest allies in international cricket administration, and had previously blocked moves by other ICC members to impose sanctions.

ICC president-elect David Morgan stated: "Cricket South Africa's decision yesterday is hugely significant. Clearly they will want something done." Current ICC president Ray Mali is himself a South African and is known to be keen for the issue to be discussed by the 13 directors of the executive board.

Morgan though was clear that the ICC had not yet decided what course of action would be taken. "Quite where the various members will stand on it I really don't know - all of this is new as of five o'clock yesterday."

With the British government having repeating its public assertion that Zimbabwe's scheduled 2009 tour to England would be "unwelcome in the circumstance", and given that Australia's decision not to tour the country in 2007 was supported by the government of John Howard, it appears that the ICC is going to be compelled to put fuller sanctions into effect.

The most immediate ramifications would be for the World Twenty20 tournament, due to take place in England in 2009. Zimbabwe were today included in Group A of the event but their participation is now in major doubt. If they have to be replaced it is understood a third associate country will be included.