Harare - Politics continued to erode the World Cup on Monday as the International Cricket Council and the Zimbabwe Cricket Union announced they would hold inquiries into the "unprecedented" on-field protest against President Robert Mugabe by two members of the country's national cricket team.
Batsman Andy Flower and fast bowler Henry Olonga wore black armbands on the field on Monday in their opening World Cup match against Namibia in Harare as a way of "mourning the death of democracy in Zimbabwe".
Their protest, they said, was aimed at human rights abuses, starvation and unemployment in their "beloved Zimbabwe".
"We are making a silent plea to those responsible to stop the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe. We pray that our small action may help to restore sanity and dignity to our nation."
Zimbabwe's Cricket Union said, after noting that it was not a political organisation, that it would refer the protest action to a committee for possible action.
And in Cape Town, ICC chairperson Malcolm Speed said it would refer the protest either to the event technical committee or the match referee for further action.
Observers believe that the cricketing authorities will take some action against the two.
They say Flower, 34, who is possibly playing his last tournament for Zimbabwe, might not be allowed to complete the 2003 World Cup.
For 26-year-old Olonga, the brave gesture may be more costly as he has a promising international career.
Flower and Olonga said in their statement:
"We cannot in good conscience take to the field and ignore the fact that millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed.
"We are aware that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans may even die in the coming months through a combination of starvation, poverty and Aids.
"We have heard a torrent of racist hate speech directed at minority groups. We are aware that thousands of Zimbabweans are routinely denied their right to freedom of expression.
"We are aware that people have been murdered, raped, beaten and their homes destroyed because of their beliefs and that many of those responsible have not been prosecuted. We are also aware many patriotic Zimbabweans oppose our playing in the World Cup because of what is happening."
Olonga and Flower said they believed it was "important to stand up for what is right". - Independent Foreign Service
