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Harare (pte027/24.11.2004/12:00) - Zimbabwe cricket authorities have banned nine British media organisations from covering England's upcoming cricket tour of Zimbabwe. Last night the Sun, Times, Daily Mirror, Daily Telegraph, Sunday Telegraph, Sunday Times and News of the World, as well as representatives of BBC radio and television news were told by Zimbabwe Cricket that they had been refused accreditation, reports Media Guardian http://www.media.guardian.co.uk . However, it is understood that The Guardian, Independent, Daily Express, Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday, agencies Reuters and the Press Association, GQ Magazine, ITN and two photographers from the Getty Images agency have been granted accreditation to cover the five-match tour, due to begin on Friday.
Journalists from numerous organisations had first sought accreditation to cover the tour 8 weeks ago, but until last night, neither the Zimbabwe government, Zimbabwe cricket nor the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had been able to give an indication of whether their applications had been successful. England captain Michael Vaughan condemned the decision. "I think it is totally wrong and I am flabbergasted by the decision. Whatever you think of the media, they have a huge role to play in giving exposure to the game."
According to David Morgan, chairman of the ECB, the ban on journalists would not constitute grounds to cancel the tour and he would attempt to reverse the decision when he arrives in Zimbabwe today. "We are very disappointed by the news, but we will be working with Peter Chingoka, chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, to have the decision reversed", explained Morgan. The Foreign Office has also promised to try and reverse the decision. "The UK has long been an advocate of media freedom in Zimbabwe and that applies equally to sports journalism. Our representatives in Harare will be making representations to the Zimbabwe authorities to try and resolve this situation", a spokesman said.
The move has angered the media organisations, who believe that Robert Mugabe's government are to blame. "It is clear that Mr Mugabe does not like objective reporting. If there were not anything to hide in Zimbabwe, the government would allow in the Times of London", said Robert Thomson, editor of the Times. The ban is not the first time that British media have had problems with Mugabe's government. The BBC has previously been banned from operating in Zimbabwe for several years, and Mugabe has described the British daily newspaper the Daily Telegraph as "an agent of MI5".
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