Aussie tour of Zimbabwe will give legitimacy to Mugabe: Olonga

Sydney, May 10 (UNI) Exiled former Zimbabwe Test player Henry Olonga has said an Australian tour to his strife-torn country will give legitimacy to ''repressive'' Robert Mugabe government.

Olonga, who wore a black armband during 2003 the World Cup to mourn ''the death of democracy in his country'', said such a tour would be a propaganda coup for the Mugabe government.

''The picture they've tried to paint to the rest of the world is that if the reigning world champions are willing to tour Zimbabwe, then there can't be too much amiss,'' said Olonga who now lives in Britain.

''I think that's probably one of the real dangers of the tour going ahead,'' he told Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

He said Australia's cricketers have a chance to make a strong statement against the ''repressive'' Mugabe regime.

''Once in a while, once or twice in your career perhaps you have the opportunity to make a real difference in a way that is above just another bundle of Test wickets or another couple of hundreds,'' he said.

UNI