This country puts up again.

[Big Dave]

Sport - politics blah blah aside
About time someone stood up to the despot.
Way to go NZ
http://content.cricinfo.com/newzealand/content/story/211715.html

[ManDownUnder]

Sport - politics blah blah aside
About time someone stood up to the despot.
Way to go NZ
http://content.cricinfo.com/newzealand/content/story/211715.html

Good move... but I reckon we should invite Mugabe in, instead of the team...

The rules would need to change a little... the biggest change being the balls get hit 2 at a time.

I think fleming would be up to it...

"Mr Mugabe - thanks for coming... please stand here, bend down and place both hands on this rail, spread your legs and get comfy.

RIGHTO BOYS - IN YOU COME!"

*TTHHUUNNKK**

[TonyB]

Wee conspiracy theory. Why does the ICC keep arranging tours to Zimbabwe? Could it be that they hope to get the $2 million plus fine for not attending....

[placidfemme]

I'm not really big on politics... but looking from the players point of view... the Zimbabwean players put a LOT of effort into thier sport... most of them have to raise thier own funds to fly everywhere to play thier matches... they are sponsored to a certain degree, but nothing compared to how the NZ team is sponsored.

For them coming to play cricket (or having Nz go there to play) is a HUGE thing...

And stopping the NZ team from playing in Zimbabwe will do NOTHING to stop the way Mugabe is running the country...

Once again the innocent people are the ones being punished.

[bugjuice]

I think ask the president to come here, and then half way over the atlantic, the only pilot in the plane bails out to a waiting cruise ship below, then that fukwit crashes into the sea and heads to the bottom..

Don't know if he's really going to pay attention to some cricket team not being allowed into a country.. it's hardly taking a stance on something, is it? well, it is, but isn't.. if you know what I mean.. their team not being here isn't going to make him think much, is it? he just knows to book under another name when he next comes to visit.. isn't going to change his ways

[WINJA]

KILL MUGABE, HES FAR WORSE THAN SADDAM, ALAS THEY HAVE NO OIL SO THE U.S. IS NOT INTERESTED.
MUGABE IS A FUCKEN ANIMAL IM SAD AT THE LACK OF WORLD WIDE RESPONSE , I VE MADE FRIENDS WITH SOME PEOPLE FROM ZIM THEY HAVE SOME HORROR STORYS TO TELL, ID HATE TO BE THERE AND WHITE RIGHT NOW

[placidfemme]

You wouldn't have to be white to hate being there... you'd have to be anything other than "shona". At the moment he's picking on the people who didn't vote for him (mostly matabele) and of course blaming the whites for it all...

It would be too hard to kill him... he convoys everywhere with like 4 cop bikes in front... two army trucks (full of soldiers), then like 2 cop cars, then 2 merc's with MP's in them... then his car... and the same behind him... and cops on bikes all up the side...

When it comes to Mugabe it's "shoot first, ask questions later". He's a coward

[TonyB]

It would appear that it no longer matters what your skin colour is. The houses he is flattening belong to Africans

[WINJA]

You wouldn't have to be white to hate being there... you'd have to be anything other than "shona". At the moment he's picking on the people who didn't vote for him (mostly matabele) and of course blaming the whites for it all...

It would be too hard to kill him... he convoys everywhere with like 4 cop bikes in front... two army trucks (full of soldiers), then like 2 cop cars, then 2 merc's with MP's in them... then his car... and the same behind him... and cops on bikes all up the side...

When it comes to Mugabe it's "shoot first, ask questions later". He's a coward
HE FUCKED OVER THE MDC DIDNT HE , WHAT A PRICK . IS THE MDC MUCH BETTER?

[placidfemme]

yeah the MDC is good. They arn't racist, they want to forget the past and start again... build Zimbabwe back to what it was meant to be... a prosperous country, with plenty of great exports that bring in the foriegn currency...

Mugabes crowd (the 16 and 17 year old war veterans... who weren't even born when the war happened) tortured and killed hundreds of MDC supporters... then Mugabe tried to prosecute the MDC leader for treason (sp) just for running against him in the elections...

[Biff]

I think it's a great idea to stop the Zimbabwe cricket team coming here, as any visit by a Zimbabwe sports team to any other country will be used by Mugabe in an attempt to show his misguided followers and the wider Zimbabwe public that 'all is well' in terms of international relations, and that the rest of the world don't have an issue with this murdering dictators actions.

He's an evil, evil bastard, and while it's a shame that some law abiding cricket players may not manage to get a jolly out of a nice trip to the free and democratic nation in which we live, it's a small price to pay to demonstrate that this country will not tolerate the brutal dictatorship of the Mugabe regime.

Sure, let Mugabe come here, and let's arrest that bastard for crimes against humanity, and fashion for that matter.

[Big Dave]

and fashion for that matter.


Flagrant breaches of the UN Convention on Safari Suits?

[Biff]

Flagrant breaches of the UN Convention on Safari Suits?

Amongst others...

[Big Dave]

Amongst others...


'Where's Wally with a pen protector' by Dior.

[Lou Girardin]

I'm not really big on politics... but looking from the players point of view... the Zimbabwean players put a LOT of effort into thier sport... most of them have to raise thier own funds to fly everywhere to play thier matches... they are sponsored to a certain degree, but nothing compared to how the NZ team is sponsored.

For them coming to play cricket (or having Nz go there to play) is a HUGE thing...

And stopping the NZ team from playing in Zimbabwe will do NOTHING to stop the way Mugabe is running the country...

Once again the innocent people are the ones being punished.

I heard this argument in '81. Contact just encouraged SA then.

BTW I wonder if Mugabe is syphillitic. His increasingly bizarre behaviour seems to indicate it. And it is very common over there.

[Al]

Lou, I have been thinking the same about MAD BOB being syphillitic, look at his top lip...
The problem is not made any better when my ex president in SA doesn't say anything about the despot's behaviour.
Mozambique has come through all its shit and the country is being rebuilt, a lot of foreign investment, USA are major players in re-developing the sugar industry and I did some consulting work at the new MOZAL aluminium smelter (BHP Billiton), locals are so happy to see foreigners (black and white) in their country because they know that they are there to rebuild the country.
Zim still has a long way to go... To kill Mugabe now would not be the right move, his "field soldiers" would go on a rampage to avenge his death and there would be a lot more innocent people dying because of this. This mad son-of-a-bitch :weird: needs to be tried before a tribunal and made to pay for his deeds.

Ok, end of rant

Al

[zadok]

Let's hope things don't get too far out of hand like it did in Rwanda. 1 million killed and the UN sat on their hands! I still find that hard to understand. :oi-grr:

[Timber020]

Back in the rhodesian wars Mugabe was nothing but a child and woman killing terrorist (but in a less freedom fighting way than Osama) I think he cut up a few nuns to if memory serves me correct.

Cant believe after all that happened to NZ with the SA tour that theres any question over this. The cricketers once again prove they have little idea what balls are.

[Skyryder]

Way to go Phil.

Saw Sneddon on TV the other night. What an appalling excuse he made as a sportsman. We must go to Zimbawe becasue it'll be a breach of contract and cost us two million smackers if we don't. Seem to recall something that if New Zealand cricket believes that the team may be in danger then they can opt out of the contract with no penalties. And even if penalised what fool would part with two mill just on the say so of someone from the International Cricket Fed, Council or whatever they call themselves.

Skyryder

[SPman]

Pander to despots because of money - never!
Wait.....thats what the big boys like Dubya and co do , isnt it?
Must be OK then!

Mugabe is another member of the international murderous raving looney despot club.
To send a team there is fuckin stupid
NZ cricket should be fuckin ashamed of themselves for even thinking about it!
No its not interference in individual sporting rights - it goes way beyond that to acceptance of the local Government and its leader...."see, it's so safe and peaceful here that foreign sports teams are happy to come here and play in our fine, prospering country!"

As Lou says " I heard this argument in '81. Contact just encouraged SA then."
So do we have to go through all the same palaver again?
Fuck off!

[riffer]

As Lou says " I heard this argument in '81. Contact just encouraged SA then."
So do we have to go through all the same palaver again?

Well at least I have a decent helmet to wear this time... :whistle:

Very bad situation.

It surprises me that our government hasn't turned around to the cricketers and said "We don't want you to go - it makes our country look bad. The taxpayers will find the $2.8 million."

Too busy finding more money for election year bribes I guess.

New Zealand going to Zimbabwe completely legitimises the Mugabe regime.

Perhaps if we have to go we should wear appropriate messages on our playing gear. Though I don't know if I'd be keen to try that.

It does seem interesting that the ICC keeps sending the NZ team to troublespots.

And didn't the English team show the ICC the middle finger last year?

[Biff]

Way to go Phil.

Saw Sneddon on TV the other night. What an appalling excuse he made as a sportsman. We must go to Zimbawe becasue it'll be a breach of contract and cost us two million smackers if we don't. Seem to recall something that if New Zealand cricket believes that the team may be in danger then they can opt out of the contract with no penalties. And even if penalised what fool would part with two mill just on the say so of someone from the International Cricket Fed, Council or whatever they call themselves.

Skyryder

Makes me wonder who looks over the cricket teams sponsorship contracts really. Surely a clause could/should be inserted protecting against financial penalties in the event of failing to compete in a competition because of 'force majour' (act of god) for example. And as Mugabe appears to think he's god.......

[myvice]

You wouldnt get me in a 1000ks of Zim, have a few mates from there, both coloured and white and there not rushing back any time soon.
No I dont think we should be going and the ICC can go fuck itself for not telling mugabe to "Fuck off and die you murdering bastard!"
I feel for the Zim team caus if thay landed here we could keep them and realy piss mugabe off! :devil2: