Not cricket

This morning I heard Cathy Buckle being interviewed on the radio about the situation in Zimbabwe. It is getting worse and worse over there. It seems incredible that New Zealand will be indirectly supporting Mugabe's regime of terror and destruction by allowing the NZ cricket team to tour Zimbabwe.

I have never believed that 'sport and politics don't mix'. Outside of war, sport is the primary way that 'patriotism' is roused to ensure that citizens stay emotionally loyal to the national state which is a purely political construct. My political coming of age was the 1981 Springbok Tour of New Zealand. I have been deeply moved whenever I have heard South African's talk about how much it meant to them that NZers protested so passionately against the tour. Whether or not NZ plays sport with nations with unacceptable regimes does make a difference, it does matter.

I emailed National Bank, who sponsor the cricket team, to tell them I will withdraw my business and investments if the bank sponsors the proposed tour to Zimbabwe.

If you are a National Bank customer and don't want your bank to be supporting the Mugabe regime (however indirectly) then you can email cynthia.brophy@nbnz.co.nz