Zimbabwe to challenge Howard’s ICC nomination
May 29th, 2010 - 11:50 pm ICT by IANSMelbourne, May 29 (IANS) Despite the backing of incoming International Cricket Council (ICC) president-elect Sharad Pawar, former Australian prime minister John Howard may still find it difficult to take his place the next time around.
The Australian reported that after Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe is also against Howard’s nomination and the former prime minister may suffer for the deeds of ex-ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed.
Speed was sacked two years ago because he instituted what became a damning investigation into the Zimbabwe Cricket Union’s (ZCU) finances.
The ICC still refuses to release the report and accoring to the daily is financing a ZCU administration which has such close links to the Robert Mugabe regime.
ZCU president Peter Chingoka, who has close links with Mugabe, and is banned from travelling to Australia, the UK and the EU. And next month’s annual meeting, which needs to ratify Howard’s position, is being held in Singapore instead of the traditional location of Lord’s in London so Chingoka can attend.
The ZCU has now mounted an unprecedented behind-the-scenes campaign to block Howard’s candidacy, fearing his strident opposition to the Mugabe regime and, by extension, the ZCU administration, will be brought to the ICC board table.
Chingoka motivated South Africa, which often acts as proxy for the discredited Zimbabwe, to challenge Howard’s nomination.
The unexpected impasse became yet another embarrassment for cricket when last month’s ICC meeting failed to automatically ratify the proposal. Instead it was taken off the table to avoid a damaging split among leading cricket nations.
The ICC is divided into five regions of two cricket nations, with each region in turn nominating a vice-president who, after two years, becomes president for another two years.
Australia is grouped with New Zealand, which rightly expected that its highly respected and long-serving former president, John Anderson, would be the regional nomination given Australia’s Malcolm Gray held the ICC presidency a decade or so ago.
- Zimbabwe refuses to rule out opposing Howard's ICC bid - Jun 25, 2010
- Howard in Zimbabwe to seek support for his ICC bid - Jun 23, 2010
- Oz, Kiwi cricket boards 'gutted' by ICC's rejection of Howard candidacy - Jul 01, 2010
- Speed says Howard was rejected because he would foil the ICC saboteurs - Jul 01, 2010
- Howard's rejection leaves ICC divided - Jul 01, 2010
- Pawar is ICC president, world cricket divided over Howard's rejection (Roundup) - Jul 01, 2010
- ICC defers vote on Howard's vice-presidential claims due to lack of support - Jun 30, 2010
- Zimbabwe cricket chief says Howard was just not suitable for ICC post - Jul 02, 2010
- Zimbabwe closer to Howard consensus - Jun 17, 2010
- India, S. Africa, Zimbabwe move to stop Howard's ICC bid just isn't cricket: Roebuck - May 28, 2010
- Speed backs Howard for ICC presidency - Jun 01, 2010
- Howard hits Zimbabwe hurdle in bid to become ICC vice president - Apr 21, 2010
- Under Chingoka, no cricket ties with Zimbabwe: Britain - Aug 15, 2010
- ICC president designate Pawar does not want ex-Oz PM Howard as his deputy - May 27, 2010
- ICC board proposes Dave Richardson as CEO - May 10, 2012
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