ZCU battles racism allegations

ZCU battles racism allegations

LOVEMORE BANDA

• England cricketers googly about Zim tour

By Agencies

THE Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) will deny racism charges at an International Cricket Council (ICC) hearing in Harare later today.

The hearing was called after 15 white Zimbabweans refused to play for the national side after accusing selectors of racist selection policies. The ZCU subsequently sacked the players.

"We will make our submissions at the hearing and we will say we are not racist," ZCU spokesperson Lovemore Banda told Reuters from Harare on Tuesday.

The hearing is the latest development in a saga that started on April 2, when the ZCU decided to replace captain Heath Streak with Tatenda Taibu. Streak had questioned the composition of Zimbabwe's selection panel.

The rebels demanded Streak's reinstatement, a new selection panel and that the ZCU acknowledge a series of transgressions, including allegedly racist behaviour.

Zimbabwe was then forced to select an inexperienced squad and the ICC suspended their test program until the end of the year.

Evidence this week will be heard by an ICC panel consisting of India's Solicitor General Goolam Vahanvati and South African High Court Judge Steven Majiedt --Reuters
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