England / News
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Foreign Office refuses visa
Chingoka barred from entering UK
Cricinfo staff
October 8, 2007
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Chingoka was due to arrive in London to give testimony at the Darrell Hair hearing - he was a member of the three-man sub-committee that recommended to the ICC board in 2006 that Hair be demoted as an international umpire - but his application was rejected late last Friday. He will now address the tribunal by video link from Harare.
The refusal is a blow to Chingoka, mainly because his family are understood to have set up home in London. It will also cast doubts on his claims that he and his board are apolitical.
In June, the British embassy in Harare recommended that Chingoka be refused a visa to attend the annual ICC get together in London as he was alleged to have close links with Robert Mugabe and the ruling Zanu-PF party. This block was endorsed by the FCO. However, Richard Caborn, at the time the sports minister, overruled the ban as he felt such a move might have jeopardised the appointment of ECB chief David Morgan as ICC president-elect.
Morgan is now confirmed in that role, and there has also been an apparent hardening of the British government's attitude to Zimbabwe since Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair.
The decision also makes it unlikely that the ICC will be able to hold any more executive meetings in London as it is inconceivable that they would carry on if one of the most senior board members was not allowed to enter the country.
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"Britain should look closely at their part in the genocide in Iraq. Mr. Chingoka is only a supporter of Mr.Mugabe and committed no crime for any justification of visa refusal by Britain. What is bad? Genocide or dictatorship? Zoeb Tayebjee. Posted by 560162 on October 09 2007, 08:08 AM GMT" Zoeb, They are both bad. Taking some ones life or their freedom is one and the same, that is why people throughout history have given their life to gain freedom. Animal can live in cages, human need freedom to live. People are starving in Zimbabwe due to Mugabe & any one who supports him are just as much to blame - they should not even be thinking of cricket, they should be thinking of feeding their people.
Posted by Amanda on (October 10 2007, 02:32 AM GMT)What kind of organisation is the ICC that treats Peter Chingoka as an important statesperson? What bizarre non reality do they live in where he is a trusted member of the Board and at the core of decision making?
Posted by Nkosi on (October 09 2007, 12:21 PM GMT)Any supporter of Robert Mugabe condones automatically genocide in Matabeleland, the dispalcement of, and the destruction of homes of any politiacal opposition to Mugabe's illegal government, the voilence and brutality meeted out to members of a legal opposition party, the destruction of Zimbabwe as an economic entity by short sighted policies that are only in place to ensure the continuation of Mugabe's Zanu PF government, who do not have the interest of the citizens of Zimbabwe at heart, only their own self agrandisement and self gratification.
Posted by Larchy on (October 09 2007, 09:51 AM GMT)Its about time Britian took a firm stance on the Zimbabwe cricket issue.Chingoka is not merely a supporter, he has engineered and implemented enthnic cleansing in Cricket in Zimbabwe. From administrators to players to stakeholders , Chingoka has got rid of anyone who would stop him from getting his hands on the bounty that the sport generates. The politics within the ICC have given Chingoka the lifeline that he needed so its about time the Governments took the political stances that the ICC only use when it suits the oh so powerfull nations that control it. Sports and Politics can never be seperated... Chingoka is a political administrator without question.
Posted by j.r.mckeown on (October 09 2007, 09:10 AM GMT)Good riddens. This man has destroyed the game in Zimbabwe with no action being taken by the ICC. Congrats to the UK government and ECB for recognising his corrupt, politically-orientated rule.
Posted by steveb on (October 09 2007, 08:35 AM GMT)Well done to Gordon Brown for standing up for common sense . Chingoka is a bona fide member of the hitler regime in Zimbabwe and Chingoka only hides behind his cricketing title . If only other world leaders would have the courage and conviction that Brown has.
Posted by 560162 on (October 09 2007, 08:08 AM GMT)Britain should look closely at their part in the genocide in Iraq. Mr. Chingoka is only a supporter of Mr.Mugabe and committed no crime for any justification of visa refusal by Britain. What is bad? Genocide or dictatorship? Zoeb Tayebjee.