Zim Cricket condemns racial abuse of players
ZIMBABWE Cricket have come out to denounce the racial abuse of some of the national cricketers by fans during the recently concluded two Test series against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club.
In a statement sent out yesterday, ZC said they noted with concern the conduct of a section of fans who made offensive and racist chants aimed at national cricketers. ZC made it clear that such behaviour cannot be tolerated as they are guided by the International Cricket Council Anti-Racism Code that validates a level of commitment from the world governing body to promote and encourage participation at all levels.
“Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) was deeply disturbed by the conduct of a section of fans who made abusive and racist chants targeted at our players during Zimbabwe’s just ended Test series against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club. We condemn any act of racism, abuse or intolerance in cricket, in particular, and sport in general. ZC strictly upholds the ICC Anti-Racism Code that confirms a level of commitment from the ICC and its members to promote and encourage participation at all levels regardless of race, colour, religion, national or ethnic group and to ensure that there is no discrimination in the sport,’’ reads part of the statement sent out by ZC.
The local cricket governing body further stated that the ICC code also requires members to impose punishments including life bans on anyone found guilty of racial abuse. In this regard, ZC warned that they are taking steps to introduce sanctions against those involved in such incidents, declaring that there is absolutely no place for racism or any form of prejudice in the game of cricket.
Some fans are said to have directed racial abuse at middle order batsman Malcolm Waller for his apparent lack of form.
Meanwhile, in a related matter, former Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture David Coltart was forced to report a bogus Facebook page in his name last Friday after it was used to post a racial statement denigrating black cricketers.
The Facebook post which concerned cricket followers in and outside the country forwarded to Sunday News last Friday read “Except Mumba (Carl) all blacks are rubbish cricketers.” When sought for comment, Coltart denied ever sending out such an offensive post, stating that the photograph used by that impersonator was not his current one on Facebook since his latest was the one in which he appears with former Zimbabwe cricketer Andrew Flower.
Coltart managed to locate the false KALLISTO Pasuwa has a special relationship with a clique of players he has nurtured from boys into men.
The Zimbabwe national senior men’s soccer team gaffer looks set to reward his young brigade for their loyalty with places in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations final squad.
Pasuwa was appointed National Under23 coach on August 15, 2014, replacing Peter Ndlovu who had joined Mamelodi Sundowns as team manager.
As he took up the task, the former Dynamos coach highlighted that his major task was to groom players for the senior national team.
Two years down the line, Young Turks like Golden Arrows star Kuda Mahachi; goalkeepers Tatenda Mukuruva and Donovan Bernard; and Tinotenda Kadewere, Malvern Gaki, Blessing Moyo, Lawrence Mhlanga and Teenage Hadebe are firmly in the Warriors mix.
Pasuwa says many of these lads will be in Gabon come January 2017.
Speaking ahead of today’s friendly international against Tanzania at the National Sports Stadium in Harare, the Warriors coach said, “Certainly we will have most of them travelling to the Afcon finals. Building a team is a long process, which I can say started in 2014 and we can’t just chop them from the team today because we are now going for a major tournament.
“What we are doing now is putting final touches to the project and it’s important to understand that as Zimbabwe we don’t get to play a number of preparatory matches so as a coach I am tempted to keep faith in a group that understands each other better.”
Pasuwa added that he chose to stick with players who had proven their loyalty to him and the national flag.
“I am not saying these guys are special but you have to remember they used to play for free; all they would get after a fine day in office was just a pat on the back.
“Match-fixing is real so having seen these guys growing up sharing the same dreams with them, I don’t think anything can now come between them and that desire to do well for their country and individual Facebook page which went with the name David Coltart Community Site. He asked Facebook to pull it down and the social networking site managed to do that as it had been removed as of yesterday morning.
Coltart later posted on his real Facebook account with glowing comments on some of the country’s exciting cricket prospects who include Brian Chari, Tarisai Musakanda, Mumba and Peter Moor.
“Contrary to the false racist statement made by an imposter site I am in fact absolutely delighted with the direction our cricket team is going. In Chari, Moor, Musakanda and Mumba (amongst others) we have awesome new talent. In fact I am very excited about the future of Zimbabwe Cricket and our brilliant crop of new cricketers which are coming to the fore,’’ said Coltart.
National cricket team coach Heath Streak, a close friend of Coltart said he knew him well and he was not the type to make such racial remarks.
“I am shocked that people believe that Coltart would say a racial thing like that. I know he would never do that. You can quote me, Dave is the biggest supporter of our Zimbabweans, both black and white,’’ Streak said.