FICA Calls On ICC For Decisiveness To Help Beat Racism — 23/11/2004

FICA Calls On ICC For Decisiveness To Help Beat Racism – 23/11/2004 Following the recent decision of the 15 Zimbabwean players to withdraw from the dispute resolution process in Zimbabwe, FICA chief executive Tim May called upon the International Cricket Council (ICC) to assume a more proactive and greater educational role in the area of discrimination within the game of cricket. ” Too often our game is littered with comment and insinuations of racial or other discrimination,” May said. ” Cricket must handle future issues with greater decisiveness by further empowering the international governing body, the ICC, to be able to act with clear authority. ” Educational programs for spectators, administrators and players, the development of definitive processes to review incidents or disputes and an ability to prescribe sanctions must be implemented as a matter of urgency to rid the game of such alleged or actual practice. ” FICA believes cricket’s response to the Zimbabwean crisis, and its inability to salvage reconciliation between the ZCU and the players, highlights the need for a significant amount of work in the area of discrimination disputes within cricket,” he said. ” An inquiry with restricted powers, which was subsequently terminated, a dispute resolution procedure cancelled by the players through cost concerns and frustration levels , and failed reconciliation attempts between the ZCU and players do not represent successful outcomes emanating from this issue. ” Sadly 15 national standard cricketers have been lost to the international game. ” The Zimbabwean issue is not an isolated issue – there are currently allegations in Kenyan cricket regarding racist selection policies; there are claims and counter claims regarding scrutiny of players with suspect bowling actions based upon racial conspiracies, in addition to claims of administrative matters being decided upon racial lines. ” Cricket needs to be exhaustive in its efforts to change attitudes and demonstrate that discriminatory practices will not be tolerated. ” This will only be achieved through proactive education and through the implementation of fair and definitive dispute resolution processes that will result in proper and well researched outcomes,” May concluded.