Outcomes of Dubai meeting on Zimbabwe

The International Cricket Council said that a range of measures in relation to the current issues with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union will be recommended to the ICC Executive Board in June after discussions in Dubai.

ICC Media Release

10-Jun-2004

ICC President, Ehsan Mani, said that following discussions between a sub-committee of the Executive Board comprising Bob Merriman from Cricket Australia, Jagmohan Dalmiya from the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Ray Mali from the United Cricket Board of South Africa and Mr Mani with representatives of the ZCU, a number of measures were agreed.

The discussions focused on three key areas:

1. The allegations of racism leveled against the ZCU by the players and by the ZCU against the players;
2. The way in which the dispute between the ZCU and its players could be resolved;
3. The immediate playing future of Zimbabwe

Allegations of Racism

The sub-committee addressed directly the allegations of racism made against the ZCU.

The ZCU provided a detailed response to these claims including presentation of its integration plans to deal with the aspirations of all the game's stakeholders in Zimbabwe.

The sub-committee and the ZCU agreed to:

provide the opportunity for the ZCU to make this presentation to the Board; and

recommend to the Board the appointment of an eminent person or persons to fully investigate the claims made by the players who would report to the Board on the outcome of this investigation and recommended actions.

The process by which the current dispute could be resolved

The ICC provided further legal advice that the ICC's Disputes Resolution Procedure, which the players have sought to invoke, applies in this instance.

The ZCU agreed that it would consider its position in light of the ICC's latest legal opinion as well as investigating alternative approaches to dealing with these issues that would be acceptable to all parties.

The immediate playing future of the Zimbabwean team

The sub-committee will recommend to the Board that:

the Test matches scheduled to be played by Zimbabwe against Pakistan and England before the end of the year to be deferred to a date yet to be determined.

Zimbabwe to continue to play the One-Day International matches scheduled under the Future Tours Program (FTP) including those scheduled against England and Pakistan in October and November and the ICC Champions Trophy in England this September.

India and South Africa to undertake 'A' team tours of Zimbabwe during July and August to facilitate more first-class cricket exposure for the Zimbabwean team.

Zimbabwe to continue its FTP Test match commitments from January 2005 when it plays against Bangladesh.

Australia, India and South Africa have all offered to assist in the development of Zimbabwean cricketers by providing places within their high performance programs to develop promising players.

Mr Mani said that the sub-committee recognised that these were very complex and difficult issues to be resolved in relation to Zimbabwe but that the ICC was committed to finding a solution.

"The meeting demonstrates the depth of concern in the international cricket community over the impact the dispute in Zimbabwe is having on the game," said Mr Mani.

"The package of measures strikes a balance in protecting the sport in Zimbabwe while ensuring that the issues that arise from the dispute, including the importance of the players to the ZCU and the integrity of the game, are transparently addressed.

"These proposals will now go forward to the ICC Executive Board Meeting on 30 June where the Directors will be asked to support these actions.

"In the meantime, I've been assured by the ZCU that it will be prepared to take the players back without any conditions and the ICC remains hopeful that the ZCU and the players can resolve their differences."