Australia govt. considers banning Zimbabwe tour

SYDNEY, May 10 (Reuters) The Australian government is considering legal action to prevent the country's national cricket team from touring Zimbabwe later this year.

Australia's foreign minister Alexander Downer said the government was determined to scrap the tour in protest over Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe's regime.

Downer met officials from Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA) in Melbourne today but they failed to reach an immediate agreement.

However, Downer later told reporters the government would investigating its legal options to prevent the tour from proceeding.

''We don't want the tour to go ahead, and so we explained to them that we are going to explore legal options whereby we may be able to stop it,'' Downer said.

''I'm not sure it's going to work, but we are exploring those options... if there is some existing legal basis to stop it, that's an option for us.'' CA chief executive James Sutherland said his organisation was aware of the government's views but the issue was complicated and it was unable to make a decision yet.

Sutherland said CA was equally conscious of its commitment to the international cricket, which includes regular visits to ICC-recognised nations, including Zimbabwe, under the future tours programme.

''I think there's clearly strong sentiment for us not to go around the country,'' Sutherland told reporters.

''We understand that...(but) at the same time there's not just an open and shut case.

''Cricket Australia finds itself in a very difficult and complex issue and, from that perspective, we hope people understand that we are not operating in a vacuum here.'' SAFETY CHECK ACA chief executive Paul Marsh said his association planned to send a security delegation to Zimbabwe before the tour, which consists of three one-dayers, to check the safety arrangements for the players.

''Whilst the ACA's role is to find the best outcome for our players, we will continue to work with Cricket Australia, the Australian Government and international cricket authorities in the hope of reaching an acceptable outcome,'' Marsh said in a statement.

CA could face a 2 million dollars fine if they refuse to go ahead with the tour, although it would be wiped out if the government refused to let them go, which has opened the prospect of the ban.

''Personally, I don't want the tour to go ahead,'' Downer said.

''But I don't want Cricket Australia or I don't want, particularly, the cricketers to be put in an embarrassing position if that's at all avoidable.'' Zimbabwean cricket has been in crisis for the past few years.

The country is still recognised by the International Cricket Council, though the sport's ruling body has currently withdrawn its test status.

Countries that refuse to tour the African state can be sanctioned but Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill lodged a personal protest in 2004, refusing to take part in his team's tour and telling selectors he could not ''tour Zimbabwe and maintain a clear conscience''.

Shortly after his announcement, Australia's tour was cancelled and no fines were imposed. Later that year, England's planned tour of the country was also postponed after the ICC took away Zimbabwe's test status.

In 2005, the New Zealand government refused to issue visas to the Zimbabwe team and no fines were imposed.

REUTERS SAM RK1740