Race Storm Hits Zim Cricket

[aydee]

I see this thread is still going.

Incredibly, it seems to have got even more boring...

[eugene]

I see this thread is still going.

Incredibly, it seems to have got even more boring...

Reading this thread has become rather like reading The Herald.

[hhm]

I see this thread is still going. Incredibly, it seems to have got even more boring...

Reading this thread has become rather like reading The Herald.

So you're reading it? Maybe that's the problem.

[maehara]

How can ZC fund scholarships to school when there is not even enough money to pay the franchise players. Stop blaming AC for everything you think is bad in Zim Cricket. At the moment you are looking at everything to blame on racialism. Wake up and smell the coffee whether its white or black and realise it more to do the local economy which is at a very low

This. Years of mismanagement, and the costs associated with trying to rebuild the sport from the ground up when the money simply isn't there to support it, have left ZC up to its ears in debt and unable to afford pretty much anything. There's no money there.

[maehara]

I see this thread is still going.

Incredibly, it seems to have got even more boring...

Reading this thread has become rather like reading The Herald.

Well, I can't argue that it's going off-topic, given the thread title.

As I posted earlier (in reply to hhm, but it really does apply generally): be very careful of wording here - arguments are fine, accusations / incitements less so. I've received one take-down notice in the past, I'd rather not receive any more, thank you.

Otherwise, knock yourselves out.

[zimfan1]

[quote Chingoka to tackle racism
Tuesday, 29 January 2013 11:53
HARARE - Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairman Peter Chingoka has launched a drive to tackle the problem of racism in the local game after admitting the practice was prevalent in the country.

The long-serving ZC boss has moved quickly to address the issue by calling for a stakeholders’ conference to be held after the national side’s upcoming tour of West Indies.

In a major and welcome contribution to the on-going cricket row, Chingoka urged the cricket fraternity to shun racism and “create mutual understanding and deal with the demons that continue to haunt our sport.”

A well-respected administrator widely regarded as a stabilising factor in the perennially volatile local sport, Chingoka is perhaps the best-suited man to lead the drive, having been involved in the game for nearly four decades.

A rare black cricketer of his era, Chingoka has been involved in the game since childhood due to a privileged background – playing, working and interacting with different races in the sport, giving him an unpanelled understanding of structure and dynamics of the game as well as vast experience in race relations.

The on-going row between Sports minister David Coltart and ZC over a selection directive has opened a Pandora box, threatening to open up old wounds inflicted on the game by the damaging rebel saga back in 2004.

In an effort to prevent a repeat of the past, Chingoka last week circulated a notice for a stakeholders’ conference to board members, honourary life presidents, provincial chairpersons, national team players, franchise management, school heads as well as the ZC leadership.

In his memorandum, Chingoka highlighted some recent incidents of racism said to have taken place in the country’s senior and junior age-group teams.

“There have been reports of black and white players using separate buses on senior team tours. At the International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Australia in August last year, white batsmen alleged that blacks were bowling short-pitched balls to them in the nets and counter allegations by black bowlers were that white fielders where reluctant to restrict runs from their deliveries,” Chingoka said.

“Our domestic leagues have not been spared either, as there has been a marked increase in the number of disciplinary hearings initiated by allegations of racism. In view of the unfolding media debate and the unacceptable incidents referred to above, it would appear that there is still some progress to be made in addressing the imbalances of the past and re-integrating the sport to accommodate all Zimbabweans, regardless of colour, social background or gender.

“Priority has been given to the national senior team that will travelling to West Indies next month and the conference is pencilled to take place upon their return.”

The 58-year-old experienced administrator said the Zimbabwean cricket fraternity should shun racism.

“Cricket is a game for all and we have no reservations in saying that discrimination, where it is proved to exist, and whether brought about intentionally or as a result of other factors, should not be tolerated in any way or form,” he said.

“To this end, we are proposing that the cricket community hold a stakeholders’ conference whose sole objective is to discuss and unpack the elements of our strained race relations with the objective of creating mutual understanding and dealing with the demons that continue to haunt our sport. Let us put a stop to innuendos, hidden agendas and politics of divisiveness, for if we all say that we are of the cricket family, then we must give cricket a fighting chance.” - Austin Karonga and Enock Muchinjo
][/quote]

[Ming]

OK, great, I think we have been several in saying that the issue must be discussed or investigated. A stakeholder's conference is one tool amongst probably several which can be used in a bid to sort out issues without killing cricket in Zim. But I insist on the fact that it must be lead by and reported on by an independent person. I'd strongly suggest that it not be Chingoka, but someone from outside Zimbabwe. Kudos to him for initiating this or presenting it to the public, but when the process gets going, we need someone from outside.

[aydee]

OK, great, I think we have been several in saying that the issue must be discussed or investigated. A stakeholder's conference is one tool amongst probably several which can be used in a bid to sort out issues without killing cricket in Zim. But I insist on the fact that it must be lead by and reported on by an independent person. I'd strongly suggest that it not be Chingoka, but someone from outside Zimbabwe. Kudos to him for initiating this or presenting it to the public, but when the process gets going, we need someone from outside.

Hopefully this will be viewed by all as an opportunity to make some constructive progress, rather than a string of allegations and finger-pointing, which would be counter productive, and probably deepen the problem.

[eugene]

We never hear much about racism between Shonas and Ndebele's in cricket. It must exist surely?

[hhm]

We never hear much about racism between Shonas and Ndebele's in cricket. It must exist surely?

Nope it does not exist! Terminology is very important.

Tribalism(ethnicity) does exist. Not just between Ndebele and Shona, but among perceived Shona tribes themselves(Karanga, Zezuru, Korekore, Manyika & Ndau) Ndebeles have no such internal problems - they all submit to the Khumalos!

OK, great, I think we have been several in saying that the issue must be discussed or investigated. A stakeholder's conference is one tool amongst probably several which can be used in a bid to sort out issues without killing cricket in Zim. But I insist on the fact that it must be lead by and reported on by an independent person. I'd strongly suggest that it not be Chingoka, but someone from outside Zimbabwe. Kudos to him for initiating this or presenting it to the public, but when the process gets going, we need someone from outside.

Hopefully this will be viewed by all as an opportunity to make some constructive progress, rather than a string of allegations and finger-pointing, which would be counter productive, and probably deepen the problem.

That's precisely what it should be, fingerpointing and raising allegations against each other! It's not a TRC style setup where the likes of Coltart, AC & Makoni can confess their mischief. In fact, I want it to be a matter for a Commission not some conference with a bunch of irrelevant stakeholders. Something this serious shouldn't be clouded by hypocrites pretending to be sincere and morally upright. Unofficially, the world/white capitalist media has already tried Peter, Ozias and Co. It's time to expose the likes of AC, and Coltart. We need to find out what drove him to make these legal and tactical blunders. These were schoolboy errors, and we want to know why he made them? Why was he in so much of a rush? What was at stake? Who did he consult?

You will achieve nothing by seeking to address matters between schoolboys. If blacks bowlers are trying to take off the heads of white batsmen then there's a reason for being upset to that point. They don't want them, misguided hatred etc. That's not something for stakeholders to deal with. That's a problem for parents!

If black and white senior players are travelling in separate buses, we need to know which bus, which coaches are in, and discipline them based on that! I've already posted earlier a report mentioning one of the rebel players felt blacks stink, and Streak condoned that behaviour! That's not a new thing. But this is precisely the kind of thing the Commission should deal with.

A well-respected administrator widely regarded as a stabilising factor in the perennially volatile local sport, Chingoka is perhaps the best-suited man to lead the drive, having been involved in the game for nearly four decades.

Good! Peter should lead it.

This is a joint report by two individuals. Normally when it's two or three reporters, that suggests something serious and closer to the truth, so you should resign yourself to the fact that he will chair this thing.