Australia & Zimbabwe (2 Viewers)

[Serius]

By not allowing the cricketers to participate in Zimbabwe, the government has taken a stance against Robert Mugabe which reflects the what the country believes about his regime. However, is this honestly enough? Sure it makes some great headlines about the governments strong stance against Robert Mugabe, but the companies operating over there make more of a financial impact then the cricketers would.

Many big mining companies such as Rio Tinto and BHP are operating in Zimbabwe. they are making huge profits on their soil and in most cases exporting these materials overseas. There are agreements with the Zimbabwe governement to pay taxes and various things, so that in fact funds Robert Mugabe's brutal regime. These businesses are and will be making far more money than the cricketers will generate, so why hasn't the Australian government reacted to this??

I think its because sports bans are pretty high profile, everyone hears about it and wants to know why and that brings attention to the issue. Business issues are largly uninteresting and dont generate the public interest the issue needs.

 

[Redbeard]

I dont think it should have been John Howard that cancelled the tour. that was the easy way out so that we dont have to pay a fee. the Australian Cricket Board should have been the one that had to cancel it as they are the governing body in our country for cricket, not Howard.

Some people are saying that it would have been a waste of time because we would have one easily. My message to you is, try to remember back to when Bangladesh beat us in England. History could repeat itself.

Also if the Australian team never had any intention to tour Zimbabwe, then why was this scheduled in the first place?

 

[wuddie]

and who cares anyway, the tour would've been bogus if it went ahead anyway:

1. no one would care simply because its australia vs zimbabwe,and we already noe the result, there goes the fun in watching

2. hello, its like middle of the night

3. when australia toured new zealnad right b4 the world cup, no one really cared (and that was aus vs nz - 2 of the best teams in the world), so what makes u think that aus vs zimbabwe is going to interest viewers

wrong. this tour is not for the benefits of aust, rather it is for zimbabwe. they are saying cricket has been picking up over there and a tour from aust would interest the fans even more. so there goes all of your arguments. plus icc demands that every cricketing nation tours other nations regularly as part of the cricketing calender and it has been a while since aust last been to zimb.

however, i do agree that this is a good move by the government. while people allege politics and sport should not mix, you can bet your bottom dollar that's what muagbe will do had the tour gone ahead.

i reckon playing the tests in a neutral venue would have been the perfect option. but no, some moron decided to contradict their burning desire to play aust and declined the offer. now zimb cricket is screwed. surely every other nation will in their right mind follow aust's lead and skip zimb's tour.

good on ya johnny.

 

[the pospinator]

wrong. this tour is not for the benefits of aust, rather it is for zimbabwe. they are saying cricket has been picking up over there and a tour from aust would interest the fans even more. so there goes all of your arguments. plus icc demands that every cricketing nation tours other nations regularly as part of the cricketing calender and it has been a while since aust last been to zimb.

oh yes, like the Zimbabweans have time for cricket while they struggle to live under a pathetic regime

i seriously doubt whether cricket has been getting stronger, after they sacked heath Streak, the Flowers and Tatenda Taibu, Zimbabwe cricket has been shambles, the tour is a waste of time

 

[wuddie]

oh yes, like the Zimbabweans have time for cricket while they struggle to live under a pathetic regime

and you're not mixing politics with sport?

it is not up to aust to judge whether it is worthwhile to play against zimb, they are obligated to play them because zimb is a cricketing nation. aust may send a 2nd string team over there, but they still have to make their presence. of course, subject to aust govt's support.

 

[the pospinator]

of course Australia can judge whether it is worthwhile to play, for starters, the tour concerns the well being of the players, and one must open their mind and think outside and beyond the concerns of cricket.

Yes Australia may be obligated to play, but i think its necessary that they send a message over to Zimbabwe. Compared to the violation of human rights, the issues concerning cricket aren't much.

I think that there is a lot of things Zimbabwe need to get right before they start looking at cricket. It disgusts me how they think they deserve to play the game, when their nation is in the situation it is. Fix it

 

[jimmayyy]

Well there are worse dictators such as North Korea's Kim jong Il and there was no such issue of ruthless dictators, human rights etc during the football match between North Korea and Australia at last years Asian Cup right here in Australian soil. :burn:

how can you compare - nay, rank the two?

and further more, how on earth does it matter?