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War on terror takes toll on sport
Updated: Wednesday October 24, 2001 12:44 PM By Simon Hooper, CNNSI.com LONDON -- England's cricket tour to India looks set to become the latest sporting event to be disrupted by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the U.S. and the subsequent American-led military campaign in Afghanistan. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed next month's three-test series will go ahead. But the ECB has given players until Friday to decide whether they want to join the tour and told them that a decision to stay at home won't count against them. "It's not a question of somebody guaranteeing security," said players' representative Richard Bevan. "They will discuss with their families and make an individual decision." The sub-continent's proximity to the conflict in Afghanistan means cricket in the region has already been disrupted, with New Zealand calling its test and A teams home from tours of Pakistan and India. This week the International Cricket Council made contingency plans to ensure Pakistan will be able to meet future test commitments by sanctioning the use of neutral venues for countries affected by security concerns. A weakened English tour would be another blow to a sporting calendar hit by heightened fears over flying, the threat of terrorist strikes against high-profile events and the reluctance of sportsmen and sportswomen to travel far from home in a climate of uncertainty. The biggest casualty so far has been golf's Ryder Cup, which had been due to take place at the end of September in England but was postponed until 2002 after the U.S. team withdrew. "The tragedy in America caused us all to reflect and evaluate our own lives and relationships with family and friends," said U.S. captain Curtis Strange. "The PGA of America's decision to postpone the matches is very appropriate in light of the situation." In football, a World Cup qualifier between Israel and Austria in Tel Aviv was cancelled earlier this month after a Russia-bound passenger jet from Israel crashed in the Black Sea. The re-arranged match, which will decide who plays Turkey in a playoff for a World Cup place, is due to be played on Saturday, but without nine Austrian players who had already said they would boycott the original fixture before it was cancelled because of tension in the Middle East. Last week, English side Chelsea also took a weakened squad to Israel for their UEFA Cup second round clash with Hapoel Tel Aviv after five squad members opted not to travel. And the next headache for world governing body FIFA looks likely to be a World Cup playoff between the Republic of Ireland and either Iran or the United Arab Emirates scheduled for November. "FIFA will assess the security situation and contingency plans will be developed as required," the Football Association of Ireland said in a statement. One boost for sport however has been the change of heart by Australia's world champion rugby league side. It had originally pulled out of its test tour to Britain after several players voiced concerns over their safety. But, following assurances over security by the British government, a shortened, three-test tour has been re-scheduled for November. And Australia's rugby union players have already touched down in London for a seven-match European tour while New Zealand coach John Mitchell has confirmed a squad of 30 for the All Blacks' tour to Argentina, Ireland and Scotland. Organisers of next year's Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and the World Cup in Japan and South Korea have also stressed that both events will go ahead. FIFA last week stated that the World Cup, which starts next May, was "in no way endangered," despite being told by insurers AXA that it had to re-negotiate its premium for the tournament in response to the heightened risk of a terrorist attack. Meanwhile, Utah Governor Mike Leavitt declared he was more confident than ever that security measures in place were up to the job of combating any threat to February's Winter Games. "This is an event that was a good thing to have and now it's an event we have to have," Leavitt said. And if England's cricketers fail to match the ECB's commitment to tour India, the host nation could look closer to home for an alternative opponent. On October 14, as their homeland was being bombed, Afghanistan's cricketers set off for Pakistan to play in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Cricket is one of the few sports permitted by the Taliban regime and Afghanistan was admitted as an associate member by the ICC in June. "We have come here to Pakistan to play cricket and show the world that we are not terrorists, that we are just ordinary people. We are the peace ambassadors for Afghanistan," said team captain Allah Dad Noori.
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