Vettori on Zimbabwe and politics
The Sunday Star Times has an extract from Daniel Vettori’s impending book Turning Point where he talks about the politics of touring oppressive regimes, and Zimbabwe in 2005 in particular.
The last time time we went to Zimbabwe - in 2005 - there was almost fury over us going. The Green Party were signing petitions and bringing Henry Olonga over here to speak about how wrong touring would be, and a lot of people just didn’t want us to go. Our chief executive, Martin Snedden, was effectively forced to take a pro-tour stance because of the financial penalties that New Zealand Cricket would have suffered if we didn’t tour.
Vettori puts both sides of the touring debate fairly evenly before eventually coming down in favour of touring:
Cricket has brought Zimbabwe to the New Zealand public’s attention - it created a window through which we could watch and debate the topic, and make it relevant for us. It gave us a chance to take cameras and reporters, and with that the eyes of the world, into a place that’s pretty well cut off in terms of scrutiny.
The argument Vettori missed, at least in this extract, and which to me is the clincher, is the way someone like Mugabe will use a tour to justify his continued hold on power. Often status and acceptance is the oxygen that dictators breathe. The New Zealanders were used by the Mugabe regime in 2005 and are in danger of being used again if they continue to stick to the ‘politics and sport don’t mix’ defense.
July 28th, 2008 at 5:50 am
I don’t see why people give touring sports such a hard time, in such places as zimbabwe and now the china olympics. They are simply entertaining the people of that country and supporting the regimes far less than us normal people who trade and buy goods from these countries, which taxes directly support the governments of these type of places.
Pakistan however is another topic, I don’t think our team should go there.
July 28th, 2008 at 9:17 am
If the people of Zimbabwe are being beaten for trying to vote, and starving, it seems a bit much to send a touring team of rich professional athletes over to stay in the one hotel which can afford to import food, wouldn’t you say ekstatek?
July 28th, 2008 at 10:40 am
So we come to the bottom line again! The Fine!
Supposing it will just be NZ$2 million, plus the loss of broadcasting and advertising revenue, a conservative estimate might be $8 million. Should we have a whip round and ask everyone in the country to put $2 in the hat, or should we just add that to the amount we need to borrow to keep the country going after the current government’s spend-up, or should we just bankrupt NZ cricket and forget this aspect of Kiwi summer and international sport entirely?
July 28th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I get sick of people saying China doesn’t deserve the olympics due to its human rights history. If we applied that criteria every olympiad, no country with the necessary resources would qualify.
Aussie? Um, not really. Greece? Dunno. America? Yeah, right.
On reflection, maybe we should apply it!
July 28th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
The difference James, is that the ‘history’ is still ‘current’ - they systematically ,as opposed to illegally, trample on their own citizens every day for something like carrying a picture of the dalai lama in their pocket. The US has done some bad things every now and then, but most have been exposed as being illegal or at least underhanded with massive recriminations for at least some of those involved at some time or another (e.g. illegal spying on their own citizens) thanks to their open and transparent system of government (checks and balances etc). The Chinese govt just does what they want in order to keep power, and to hell with you!
July 28th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
In my humble opinion…
July 28th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
|| The US has done some bad things every now and then, but most have been exposed as being illegal or at least underhanded with massive recriminations for at least some of those involved at some time or another
You had me until you wrote that.
James is right - the hypocrisy is breath-taking.
July 28th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I offer a few opinions, examples, evidence, now your turn! Change my mind.