ICC responds to UK Government letter

ICC President Ehsan Mani has responsed to a letter from the UK Government's Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr Rt. Honourable Jack Straw MP, and The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Rt. Honourable Tessa Jowell MP concerning issues relating to cricket tours to Zimbabwe.

In his reply Mr Mani outlined the ICC's position and explained the rationale for this position.

"The issue of cricket tours to Zimbabwe is one that the Board of the International Cricket Council has considered on several occasions, most recently at its meeting in Dublin on the 29th June," wrote Mr Mani.

"Over the course of these discussions the Board has reached a firm policy decision that is enshrined in the ICC's regulations dealing with the Future Tours Programme (FTP) to which you refer.

"The Board recognises that issues concerning the relationships between countries are driven by politicians and governments that are elected to deal with these political issues.

"The Board also accepts that governments will, from time to time, choose to use sporting sanctions as a tool in their foreign policy programmes. Our members accept and respect that where a national government prevents its national cricket team from fulfilling a touring commitment, which will usually be done through legislation, the obligations of the FTP will not apply. Most recently we have seen this issue arise in relation to India and Pakistan.

"However, where governments fail to give this directive, the wish of all our members that is unanimously expressed in the FTP regulations is that cricket matches should continue between our members.

"The position of the International Cricket Council in no way endorses the political regime or policies in any of our member countries. It simply reflects the reality that it is for elected governments and politicians to grapple with the complexities and difficulties of international relations between countries.

"The ICC is made up of 96 members from across the world with a wide range of views and political systems with a common interest in playing cricket.

"Our members look to governments to show leadership on political issues and to deal with the way in which their countries respond and react to the political situation in other countries. Our Board comprises representatives from all 10 of our Full Members (including the England and Wales Cricket Board, Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket) and three Associate Member representatives. In our discussions of this issue at the most recent ICC Board meeting none of these members sought to have this policy reviewed."

The ICC has also received letters from the Governments of New Zealand and Australia in the past two months raising similar points to those raised in the letter from the UK Government. The FTP was discussed at the most recent meeting of the ICC Board on 29 June and no member sought to have this policy reviewed.