Carlisle is pondering his next move after the ICC's decision

The International Cricket Council probed the ZCU after 15 white players were axed for backing Heath Streak, who was stripped of the captaincy.

The ICC "found absolutely no evidence of racism".

But Carlisle said: "The fact you can categorically state there is no racism in Zimbabwe cricket is a joke."

Carlisle and his fellow rebels are planning to meet Richard Bevan, the chief executive of the Professional Cricketers' Association, in Zimbabwe to consider their next move.

Carlisle told The Guardian: "I don't really know where we go from here. We probably could still go to arbitration but there's almost no point in that.

"I think we should have a chat with Bevan in the next day or two and see if there is a way forward for us."

The ICC began its inquiry after Streak and the rebel players had questioned the ZCU's selection policy.

But in a 73-page report by South African judge Steven Majiedt and India's solicitor general Goolam Vahanvati, the allegations were rejected.

Carlisle said most of the rebels were now "getting on with their lives" and that the original 15 now numbered just him, Streak and Trevor Gripper.

They would like to resume their careers if the dispute can still be resolved but feel they will not be able to.

But he insisted they were all "disappointed but not surprised" at the ICC's decision.

"The ICC has sat on the fence in the past few months and in the past few years on other issues," he said. "They've swept the problem under the carpet. They think it's going to go away but it won't.

"The ZCU might have won the battle but they've lost the war for cricket. Zimbabwe cricket is the loser."