da realbet： Peter Chingoka, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, said at Lord’stoday that the Zimbabwean players, who arrived for their two-Test tour ofEngland this morning, should be allowed to get on with playing cricket
Wisden CricInfo staff01-May-2003Peter Chingoka, the chairman of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union, said at Lord’stoday that the Zimbabwean players, who arrived for their two-Test tour ofEngland this morning, should be allowed to get on with playing cricket.He acknowledged that there were some people in Britain who were against thetour and were trying to get it stopped, which he described as”disappointing”. He said the tour was a legitimate part of the ICC’sofficial Test programme, and added: “We understand and respect the right ofindividuals to make their views known on any subject, through peacefulprotest. But we also ask those people to respect our rights as sportsmen togo about our business of playing cricket.”The full statement read: “I wanted to take this early opportunity to speakon behalf of the Zimbabwe Cricket Union about this tour to the UK. You willall be aware that there are a number of issues relating to the tour thatfall outside of the cricketing arena. It is important that our views onthese matters are expressed clearly at this point.”Firstly, let me say that the Zimbabwe team and management are delighted tobe in England. From a cricketing perspective, this is a very challenging andimportant tour for us and we intend to enjoy the opportunity and learn fromthe experience. Our captain Heath Streak and coach Geoff Marsh will talkspecifically about the cricketing challenge in a few moments, after myintroductory remarks.”The Zimbabwe tour to England is part of the International Cricket Council’sofficial programme of international cricket. We are here to play Testcricket against England and one-day cricket against England and SouthAfrica.”This tour is a very significant one for cricket in my country. There hasbeen much talk of the money involved, but for us it is more than simply howmuch we can earn. Cricket in Zimbabwe is a truly integrated and multi racialsport. It is a sport that offers opportunity to Zimbabweans from allbackgrounds and we invest heavily in offering coaching, scholarships andacademy placements to the most talented.To do this the ZCU employs more than 80 full time coaches, a high number ina country as relatively small as ours. This is why earning money from theWorld Cup and Sharjah and the tours we host is so important to fund ourdevelopment objectives, and bring sport and recreation within reach of ouryoung people.”The ZCU is an apolitical organisation, with staff drawn from a diversecultural and ethnic base. We are not involved in politics. Our job is todevelop and sustain cricket in a country facing economic hardship. It is aduty that we take very seriously indeed and part of the success of ourpolicies can be measured by the number of young and talented cricketers thatyou will see play in the coming weeks.”There are no sporting sanctions in place that restrict Zimbabwean athletesand teams from competing freely around the world. Indeed, sportsmen andwomen from Zimbabwe took part in last year’s Commonwealth Games inManchester. Our golfers, tennis players, athletics, soccer, hockey,basketball and rugby teams are regular participants in major internationalevents throughout the world.”In short, this is a legitimate tour, which has the full support of thecricketing community. Unfortunately, there is a campaign being mounted inthis country to stop the tour proceeding. It is very disappointing thatcricket is being singled out in this fashion, when no other sport is subjectto such action and when trade and commerce between the UK and Zimbabwecontinues to flourish. It is a fact that more than 300 British companies dobusiness in our country, and that Zimbabwean goods and services are soldfreely in the UK.”My message to any group or individual that may seek to use this tour as afocus for political protest is simple. We have a legitimate sporting rightto play cricket in the UK. We understand and respect the right ofindividuals to make their views known on any subject, through peacefulprotest. But we also ask those people to respect our rights as sportsmen togo about our business of playing cricket. We are confident that this tourwill proceed as scheduled and that cricket lovers in the UK will support it.”It is also worth touching on the relationship between the ZCU and the ECBin the wake of the much-publicised World Cup fixture in Harare. The ZCU,along with all cricket fans in Zimbabwe, was disappointed that England didnot feel able to play that match. I think everybody’s views on the matterwere expressed and reported at length at the time and I do not intend tocover that ground again.”What I do want to say is that as far as the ZCU and this touring party isconcerned, that matter is now history. We have moved on from the World Cupand our decision to tour the UK is proof that there is no lasting illfeeling between the Boards. The efforts of our management team and playerswill be firmly fixed on preparing for the two Test matches and the Nat Westseries.”As I have already said, the ZCU is an apolitical body and I am here as acricket administrator, not a politician. In that capacity, the message Iwant to pass onto you on behalf of the ZCU and the touring party is this: Weare all proud to be Zimbabweans. We love our country. We are privileged tobe representing our country on this tour. We are in the UK as cricketers andcricket administrators and our comments on this tour will be confined tosporting areas, where we have a relevant contribution to make.”