Olonga praises Harmison's decision

Henry Olonga's given the thumbs-up to Steve Harmison © AFP

Henry Olonga, the former Zimbabwean fast bowler, has praised Steve Harmison for his decision to skip England's upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. Olonga, along with Andy Flower, took a courageous stand against the establishment during the World Cup last year when both wore black armbands during their opening game against Namibia.

"I think it's commendable," said Olonga, speaking to BBC Sport. "It's not often that sportsmen are willing to take a strong position on political issues. Zimbabwe at the moment is a hot bed of controversy. I take my hat off to him.

"It's unfortunate for the cricket community in Zimbabwe that they miss out on the opportunity to see these world-class stars, and Harmison is the in-form bowler for England at this point in time. But there is a bigger picture which people in positions of power are just not willing to confront. They just don't seem to get the message."

Harmison is not the first cricketer this year to stay at home rather than visit Zimbabwe. Stuart MacGill, the Australian legspinner, had decided to miss the tour there in April. But Olonga said that it wasn't enough if sportsmen took a stand.

"There have been enough sportsmen who have taken some kind of stance about what's going on in Zimbabwe," said Olonga. "But the people who really count, when it comes to decision-making about Zimbabwe, aren't following suit."

Olonga didn't, however, have any harsh words for those who did not follow Harmison's example. "It's a pleasant surprise when someone like Harmison or MacGill says 'We don't agree with what's going on there'," he said. "I don't sit in judgment in any way over people who do go. If they want to focus on their career, that's fine. Most sportsmen don't want to get involved in those things and I don't have a problem with that."