By IANS,
Dubai : Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) chairman Peter Chingoka slammed International Cricket Council’s (ICC) president Ray Mali for discussing the African nation’s suspension by the governing body at its board meeting here.
Chingoka warned Mali of “setting double standards and discriminatory levels that go against the ICC anti-racism code”.
He said the discussion on Zimbabwe is unethical and added that it was an “agenda item infested with political overtones”.
“Whose political gallery are these antics supposed to appease?,” Chingoka asked.
“There are over 100 ICC member countries with differing political environments,” he said.
“Without venturing to mention names as it is apparent, it is clear that worse conditions exist in those other member countries. It has not warranted the ICC putting them on its agenda as it is doing with Zimbabwe right now,” Chingoka said.
Chingoka said according to ICC rules, Zimbabwe’s status could be discussed only at next year’s annual conference as such a motion needed to be tabled by December 31 of the preceding year
Chingoka said that ICC has already discussed the matter and the move was defeated after India indicated they would not support it.
“You will recall that last year in London, a decision was taken and well-supported by you and other members that sport and politics, like oil and water, do not mix.”
He accused Mali of making Zimbabwe “a scapegoat” for the decision to stand down Malcolm Speed as the ICC’s chief executive in April.