Azapo backs Zim for CWC

2003-01-03 13:18

Johannesburg - The Azanian Peoples Organisation says it condemns attempts by the British, Australian and New Zealand governments to put pressure on their cricket boards to boycott Cricket World Cup matches in Zimbabwe.

The party's Nkutsoeu Motsau said: "This makes no sporting or political sense. Why must these governments try to use an international sporting event to score a political point?"

The party said the United Nations and the African Union had not imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe, and the European Union had imposed only "so-called smart sanctions" aimed at Zimbabwean leaders.

"These are the competent bodies to take political measures against any country, not sporting bodies."

Motsau said sporting events such as the ICC World Cup were not held to entertain political leaders and were organised by "sportspersons in their own right for goodwill around the world".

Punishment for land reforms?

"Why must the sporting community of Zimbabwe, including the people of Zimbabwe, be punished if the wrongdoers are the politicians?"

He also posed the question of whether the British and the Antipodeans proposed to punish Zimbabweans because they were the recipients of the land that was being taken back from white farmers.

"Or is it feared that this taking back of the land by Zimbabweans might incite the Aborigines in Australia and the Maoris in Aotearoa (New Zealand) to make similar demands?"

Azapo called on the international cricket community to resist and reject these attempts by these governments.

- SAPA