Zimbabwe tour cancelled

The Australian Government has forbidden our national cricket team from touring Zimbabwe later this year. I can’t recall such a decision ever being made before.

Sporting contact was banned with South Africa from about 1970 until the end of apartheid, but in terms of overseas tours I believe it was a voluntary decision of the sporting bodies.

I have previously opposed stopping cricket tours of Zimbabwe.

The sport there was mainly played by the minority white population until recently, the Zimbabwe government took little interest and a ban would have been meaningless.

I still don’t accept the argument that a cricket tour would be a propaganda boost for Robert Mugabe, as claimed. I don’t think he cares.

It sends the wrong message though, if Australia does tour; that we condone what is happening in Zimbabwe. Certainly we don’t and for that reason I support the government’s decision.