A group of more than 160 politicians, including Nigel Farage, Jeremy Corbyn and Lord Kinnock, have called on the England and Wales Cricket Board to boycott next month’s Champions Trophy match against Afghanistan.
England’s men’s ODI side are due to face Afghanistan in Lahore on February 26, but there are calls from Westminster for the ECB to pull out of the game in protest of the Taliban regime’s abuses of women’s rights.
Women are effectively banned from the sport after they return to power in 2021, a move that the Afghanistan Cricket Board says is in direct contravention of International Cricket Council rules.
As Afghan men are still allowed to compete by the ICC, a strongly worded letter has emerged from parliament asking the ECB to issue its own moral objection.
Written by Labor MP Tonia Antoniazzi and signed by a cross-party group from the House of Commons and the House of Lords, it highlights the “insidious dystopia” unfolding in Afghanistan.
In a statement addressed to ECB Executive Director Richard Gould, it is said: “We strongly urge England men’s players and officials to speak out against the appalling treatment of women and girls under the Taliban in Afghanistan.
“We are also calling on the ECB to consider boycotting the upcoming match against Afghanistan… to send a clear signal that such grotesque abuse will not be tolerated.
“We must oppose sex apartheid and we ask the ECB to send a strong message of solidarity and hope to Afghan women and girls that their suffering has not been ignored.”
The Afghanistan women’s cricket team fled the country in August 2021 and most of them currently reside in Australia.
Gould was quick to respond, reiterating the ECB’s principles while suggesting it advocated a united approach by all member states rather than acting alone.
“The ECB strongly condemns the treatment of women and girls under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan,” he said.
“The ICC Constitution obliges all member countries to be committed to the growth and development of women’s cricket. In line with this obligation, the ICC has maintained its position by not scheduling any bilateral cricket matches against Afghanistan.
“While there has been no consensus on further international action within the ICC, the ECB will continue to actively advocate for such measures. A coordinated approach on the part of the ICC will be significantly more effective than unilateral action by individual members.”
“We accept and respect the different views on this global issue. We understand the concern of those who believe that a boycott of men’s cricket may inadvertently support the Taliban’s efforts to suppress freedoms and isolate the Afghan public and a source of positivity for many Afghans, including those displaced from the country.
“The ECB is committed to finding a solution that protects the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, while taking into account the wider impact on the people of Afghanistan. We will continue to engage in constructive dialogue with the UK government, other stakeholders, the ICC and other international cricket boards to explore all possible avenues for meaningful change.”
The spokesperson of the Department of Culture, Media and Sports said. “We are deeply concerned about the terrible violation of the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan.
“While participation in the ICC Champions Trophy is a matter for the International Cricket Council and the England and Wales Cricket Board, we are in contact with the ECB on the wider issue of the Afghanistan women’s cricket team.
“We welcome the fact that the ECB is making representations to the ICJ on this wider issue and what support can be provided.”
The situation brings back memories of the 2003 World Cup, when Nasser Hussain’s England team lost a match against Zimbabwe in protest against Robert Mugabe’s regime, with politicians defending the move without making a decision on the team’s behalf.
