'ICC passing the buck'

Malcolm Speed: 'We don't take decisions based on political judgments' © Getty Images

The ICC is basically gutless when it comes to the issue of Zimbabwe. When Malcom Speed says that the ICC does not make decisions on political grounds, he is really just passing the buck. If the ICC had one shred of moral integrity they would dismiss Zimbabwe from the organisation altogether. On top of that, there is the standard of cricket being offered by Zimbabwe to consider. There you have a compelling reason to withdraw Zimbabwe's status of a Test-playing nation. I don't really think many people in Zimbabwe care about the cricket anyway. Ask the 700,000 displaced citizens what their feelings are about cricket.
Geoff Hodgkinson

I would have thought that England and any other major cricketing country could sponsor their failure to play against Zimbabwe. Forget the ICC - just pull out and let the ICC wear it. They won't last long without Engand and Australia or any other country that refuses to play there.
Christopher Monie

ICC is right not to interfere with internal politics. The countries who are calling for a boycott of Zimbawe have their own political agenda. Why single out Zimbawe - injustice to a section of the people in all these counries are common. It is a case of white man against black man.
Odumbe

With all due respect to Speed and the board of the ICC, any person that believes that sport and politics are separate have a distorted view of what a politician is trying to achieve and what the sports administrators want from them. The ICC is contributing to the plunder of the nation with the support of the outrageous claim that their decision won't be based on politics. Fine, what about ethical, decency and self respect?
Vishal Pillay

The ICC has brought our sport into disrepute. One gets the impression that even if the players have to step over corpses to access the stadium the ICC would insist that the matches still proceed.
Steve Pullinger

"We don't take decisions based on political judgments." So said Malcolm Speed. Of course by doing so he just has and is basically saying its business as usual and sweep the growing furore under the carpet.
Martin Ripper

The ICC should not impose a ban on Zimbabwe but instead impose heavy fines on countries not allowing Zimbabwe to travel to their country or cancelling their own tour to Zimbabwe.
Tahir Mueen

The ICC should take a stand against Zimbabwe not just because of their poor human rights but because they are a joke at the moment. The ICC will have to do something about it soon because sponsers will soon realise they are not getting any value for their money as no-one is interested. The ICC won't listen until, then so I think presure needs to go on the sponsers and TV rights.
Toni Hill

ICC is right not to get involved in political arguments. However, individual countries can (and should) take stand on such issues. If they decide to do so, ICC should not take action against them. Many countries decided not to play with South Africa due to their aperthaid policy and that was right.
Gautam Ray

I do think that what Speed has decided is right. Game and politics shouldn't be judged same. I agree with him 100%.
Faraz A Shaikh

Through its woeful display of inertia over the Zimbabwe issue, it is beginning to look as if the ICC is as incompetent as the government in Harare. If the grandees who run world cricket cannot comprehend that Zimbabwe need to have Test status revoked, if only for the sake of the players who must be punch drunk by now and the spectators who stay away in droves, then they should take up administrating tiddlywinks or similar. They are utterly gutless - even the International Olympic Committee seems dynamic in comparison.
David Payne