England cancel flight to Zimbabwe
Wisden Cricinfo staff
November 24, 2004
England's cricketers have cancelled their scheduled flight to Zimbabwe on the orders of the England & Wales Cricket Board, and are meeting in a hotel in Johannesburg to assess the situation, following the Zimbabwe government's decision to refuse visas to 13 members of the accompanying British press corps.
The team had been expected to fly into Harare today (Wednesday), but until the ban on the journalists is rescinded, the tour seems set to remain in limbo. "We're doing everything in our power to get that ban overturned," said the ECB's media manager, Andrew Walpole.
England's decision to stay put in South Africa followed a hint from Ehsan Mani, the president of the ICC, that England may yet be able to cancel the tour without incurring any financial penalty.
"This has caused great concern for us and come out of the blue," Mani told BBC Radio Five Live. "It is not something that is covered in our protocols." Mani added that the decision to go ahead with the tour still rested with the ECB, but that no individual player would be punished if he chose to withdraw.
Mani did, however, make plain the ICC's displeasure with the Zimbabwean government and, by admitting his sympathy for the ECB's predicament, he appeared to be hinting at a softening of attitude towards England's stance. "We have a huge amount of sympathy for the ECB," he said, "[after] the way this matter has been handled by the government in Zimbabwe."
Meanwhile, the British government have begun to be involved. Denis MacShane, a Foreign Office minister and a former journalist himself, summoned the Zimbabwean Charge d'Affaires in London to express Britain's "deep concern that the government of Zimbabwe has denied access to British journalists covering the England cricket tour of Zimbabwe."
He told reporters: "Our Embassy in Harare is also making representations. As a former sports journalist, I would like to underline my view that this is a reprehensible step. The UK has long been an advocate of media freedom in Zimbabwe. This applies as much to sports journalism as any other kind.
"The government of Zimbabwe's actions are further evidence of its refusal to allow the international and domestic media to operate freely in Zimbabwe. I will urge the government of Zimbabwe to allow access to all British journalists who have sought access to Zimbabwe to cover the tour."
The ECB itself was taking nothing for granted, however. "I expect the tour to proceed despite the unfortunate situation regarding media accreditation," said David Morgan, their chairman. "It's unfortunate and embarrassing and something that we will be pursuing on arrival there with the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket."
Nevertheless, the ECB did confirm they had asked the ICC if the visas issue was sufficient reason to cancel the tour. Thirteen journalists, including those from The Times, The Daily Telegraph and the BBC, were among those denied entry into Zimbabwe.
© Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several journalists refused entry to Zimbabwe
Wisden Cricinfo staff
November 23, 2004
The ECB is holding urgent talks with the authorities in Zimbabwe after a number of journalists were denied entry to Zimbabwe to cover England's forthcoming five-match one-day series, which is scheduled to start later this week.
The Zimbabwe government has denied entry to journalists from The Times, Daily Telegraph, The Sun and The Mirror, and their Sunday stable-mates, as well as the BBC. However, those from the Daily Express, the Daily Mail, The Independent and The Guardian, and agency reporters from the Press Association and Reuters, will be allowed in. Visa applications and requests for press accreditation were made through the cricket boards of both England and Zimbabwe two months ago.
Ehsan Mani, the president of the ICC, indicated that they only became aware of the decision late this afternoon, and it remained unclear on what basis it had been taken. Mani has been in talks with Peter Chingoka, the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, and David Morgan, his counterpart at the ECB, and also the Zimbabwe High Commission in London.
"The ICC looks to get a clear understanding of what has taken place, and the reasons for it," Mani said. "At this time, until we have received clarification on this issue, it is difficult for us to comment further on what has happened today."
As far as Chingoka is concerned, it's nothing to do with his cricket board: "I have no say whatsoever in accreditation. Government officials are the ones who handle that. I have just passed on my information to the ECB and my dealings are with them."
Morgan, who is still in England before flying to Zimbabwe for the series, told BBC Radio Five Live that there was no way out of the tour: "The England cricket team is committed to appear in Zimbabwe for the future tours programme which is a regulation of the International Cricket Council. I expect the tour to proceed despite the unfortunate situation regarding media accreditation. It's unfortunate and embarrassing, and something that we will be pursuing on arrival there with the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket."
Meanwhile, Andrew Walpole, the ECB's media relations manager, who is currently with the England side in Namibia, told Wisden Cricinfo: "This is an evolving situation and we're taking it hour by hour. We're currently holding urgent talks with the authorities in Zimbabwe, and it's too early to speculate on what the outcome of those talks will be."
England are scheduled to travel to Zimbabwe on Wednesday, and the first one-day international is set for Harare on Friday.
© Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's going from really bad to disastorous....And to think they're due to get their test match status back. This comes only a week after the 'rebel' players gave in and said they'd come back to the fold, and still haven't gotten picked.
Wisden Cricinfo staff
November 24, 2004
England's cricketers have cancelled their scheduled flight to Zimbabwe on the orders of the England & Wales Cricket Board, and are meeting in a hotel in Johannesburg to assess the situation, following the Zimbabwe government's decision to refuse visas to 13 members of the accompanying British press corps.
The team had been expected to fly into Harare today (Wednesday), but until the ban on the journalists is rescinded, the tour seems set to remain in limbo. "We're doing everything in our power to get that ban overturned," said the ECB's media manager, Andrew Walpole.
England's decision to stay put in South Africa followed a hint from Ehsan Mani, the president of the ICC, that England may yet be able to cancel the tour without incurring any financial penalty.
"This has caused great concern for us and come out of the blue," Mani told BBC Radio Five Live. "It is not something that is covered in our protocols." Mani added that the decision to go ahead with the tour still rested with the ECB, but that no individual player would be punished if he chose to withdraw.
Mani did, however, make plain the ICC's displeasure with the Zimbabwean government and, by admitting his sympathy for the ECB's predicament, he appeared to be hinting at a softening of attitude towards England's stance. "We have a huge amount of sympathy for the ECB," he said, "[after] the way this matter has been handled by the government in Zimbabwe."
Meanwhile, the British government have begun to be involved. Denis MacShane, a Foreign Office minister and a former journalist himself, summoned the Zimbabwean Charge d'Affaires in London to express Britain's "deep concern that the government of Zimbabwe has denied access to British journalists covering the England cricket tour of Zimbabwe."
He told reporters: "Our Embassy in Harare is also making representations. As a former sports journalist, I would like to underline my view that this is a reprehensible step. The UK has long been an advocate of media freedom in Zimbabwe. This applies as much to sports journalism as any other kind.
"The government of Zimbabwe's actions are further evidence of its refusal to allow the international and domestic media to operate freely in Zimbabwe. I will urge the government of Zimbabwe to allow access to all British journalists who have sought access to Zimbabwe to cover the tour."
The ECB itself was taking nothing for granted, however. "I expect the tour to proceed despite the unfortunate situation regarding media accreditation," said David Morgan, their chairman. "It's unfortunate and embarrassing and something that we will be pursuing on arrival there with the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket."
Nevertheless, the ECB did confirm they had asked the ICC if the visas issue was sufficient reason to cancel the tour. Thirteen journalists, including those from The Times, The Daily Telegraph and the BBC, were among those denied entry into Zimbabwe.
© Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several journalists refused entry to Zimbabwe
Wisden Cricinfo staff
November 23, 2004
The ECB is holding urgent talks with the authorities in Zimbabwe after a number of journalists were denied entry to Zimbabwe to cover England's forthcoming five-match one-day series, which is scheduled to start later this week.
The Zimbabwe government has denied entry to journalists from The Times, Daily Telegraph, The Sun and The Mirror, and their Sunday stable-mates, as well as the BBC. However, those from the Daily Express, the Daily Mail, The Independent and The Guardian, and agency reporters from the Press Association and Reuters, will be allowed in. Visa applications and requests for press accreditation were made through the cricket boards of both England and Zimbabwe two months ago.
Ehsan Mani, the president of the ICC, indicated that they only became aware of the decision late this afternoon, and it remained unclear on what basis it had been taken. Mani has been in talks with Peter Chingoka, the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, and David Morgan, his counterpart at the ECB, and also the Zimbabwe High Commission in London.
"The ICC looks to get a clear understanding of what has taken place, and the reasons for it," Mani said. "At this time, until we have received clarification on this issue, it is difficult for us to comment further on what has happened today."
As far as Chingoka is concerned, it's nothing to do with his cricket board: "I have no say whatsoever in accreditation. Government officials are the ones who handle that. I have just passed on my information to the ECB and my dealings are with them."
Morgan, who is still in England before flying to Zimbabwe for the series, told BBC Radio Five Live that there was no way out of the tour: "The England cricket team is committed to appear in Zimbabwe for the future tours programme which is a regulation of the International Cricket Council. I expect the tour to proceed despite the unfortunate situation regarding media accreditation. It's unfortunate and embarrassing, and something that we will be pursuing on arrival there with the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket."
Meanwhile, Andrew Walpole, the ECB's media relations manager, who is currently with the England side in Namibia, told Wisden Cricinfo: "This is an evolving situation and we're taking it hour by hour. We're currently holding urgent talks with the authorities in Zimbabwe, and it's too early to speculate on what the outcome of those talks will be."
England are scheduled to travel to Zimbabwe on Wednesday, and the first one-day international is set for Harare on Friday.
© Wisden Cricinfo Ltd
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's going from really bad to disastorous....And to think they're due to get their test match status back. This comes only a week after the 'rebel' players gave in and said they'd come back to the fold, and still haven't gotten picked.
