- guardian.co.uk, Sunday January 12 2003 01.32 GMT
As pressure grew on Tony Blair to make an 'unequivocal statement' on the issue at his monthly press briefing tomorrow, the International Cricket Council, the sport's global governing body, confirmed yesterday it would move all six World Cup matches out of Zimbabwe if growing security problems meant players' safety could not be guaranteed.
In a clear signal that they are prepared to pull out, the England players last night underlined their opposition to Mugabe. 'The players and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are very much aware of the repressive nature of the Mugabe regime, and are keen to help the Zimbabwean people and Zimbabwe cricket,' said Richard Bevan of the Professional Cricketers' Association, who has been centrally involved in the stand-off between the Government and the ECB over whether England should fulfil their fixture.
Although the ECB will confirm on Tuesday its intention to fulfil England's fixture in Harare on 13 February, spokesman John Read last night underlined that 'if the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorates beyond an acceptable situation, to the point where we and the ICC don't think it's safe to go, and the safety of our players can't be confirmed, then we won't go.
'If things do deteriorate, we would put pressure on the ICC, and I'm sure the ICC would then decide to move the games to South Africa.'
Yesterday, Charles Kennedy, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the Government had mishandled the situation and had sent out mixed messages. 'This has been mishandled,' he said. 'The Government has been very late in expressing its view that the England team should not play in Zimbabwe. It should have been deciding much earlier; instead mixed messages have sown confusion. Sport and politics should not be mixed but occasionally it is unavoidable - the appalling Mugabe regime will undoubtedly seek to exploit this opportunity and that's unacceptable. England shouldn't play there.' Kennedy said the ECB should be paid compensation by the Government for having to pull out.
Backbench Labour MPs also voiced their concern. Tony Banks, the former Sports Minister, said Blair should 'take the initiative' and contact other countries to organise a boycott. 'The ECB aren't diplomats and shouldn't be left to sort this out,' Banks said. 'England should only not play if the other teams don't play.'
Mark Ford, the son of the Zimbabwean farmer who was brutally beaten before being shot dead by groups loyal to Mugabe, has called on Blair to pull England out of their match with Zimbabwe.
Ford said by playing in Zimbabwe England would be 'sending out the wrong message to the world' about the country.
The ICC has set up a standing committee to monitor the security situation in Zimbabwe in light of the problems being caused by its descent into famine. Up to seven million Zimbabweans are now going hungry and there were food riots last week in Harare and Bulawayo, where other World Cup games will be held.
Cricket insiders believe the move will lead to matches being transferred to South Africa, which is hosting the bulk of the tourna ment, and act as a face-saver for the Government and ECB. Officials are also worried the matches themselves could become flashpoints as opposition groups plan to stage demonstrations outside them.
Malcolm Gray, the ICC's president, said a fresh safety inspection team could be dispatched to Zimbabwe if the situation deteriorated, and its findings could lead to the games being moved. A previous visit in November declared Zimbabwe safe, but violence has worsened since then.
Ministers have warned that the situation in Zimbabwe is expected to worsen in the coming weeks. There is also concern that a trial of three opposition leaders due to start on 3 February in Harare could lead to unrest.
· Additional reporting: Tom de Castella
