It is very sad thing to mix politics with sports. If a nation's political leadership is the deciding factor, then why hold the Olympics in China? China has an even worse record in terms of human rights and such.

The infrastructure of Zimbabwe cannot be compared with Lord's given the country's poverty. This makes all the more necessary that the game be held there.
Virendra Pratap Singh, India

Give us a chance to forget our troubles even for a few weeks. The leadership will not be bothered at all, whether the matches are on or not.
Emmanuel, Zimbabwe

I have mixed views. On one hand I believe the matches should go ahead because it will give pleasure to the Zimbabwean cricket lovers. On the other hand, playing there could give Mugabe an opportunity to attempt to legitimise his regime.
David, UK

How sad to hear Heath Streak towing "the party line" by saying there is nothing wrong in Zimbabwe! Why not call a spade a spade, when your own life's work is being stolen!
Gary, UK

Don't reward that megolamaniac idiot with the revenue or exposure that he will no doubt benefit from. Punish him with the isolation that tyrants like him deserve!
Joe, UK

Security of players and spectators is one thing, however we should all be looking at the broader picture. I do not believe the country has the infrastructure to co-host this tournament. The tourist industry and economy is all but decimated.

Politically, a games go-ahead would provide the government with a much needed international boost. What a good advertisement to the rest of the world that things are all well and good in Zimbabwe.

It would take the media attention away from the rape, pillage, plunder and murder that is now a daily occurrence. Lest we forget about the inevitable famine facing six million Zimbabweans.
Michael Newcombe, UK

Taking the World Cup games away from Zimbabwe will have no impact at all on Mugabe and his evil regime. Whatever decision is made, he will distort it for his gain. Therefore, the matches should continue to take place in Zimbabwe unless safety is a real issue. At the moment Zimbabwean cricket needs all the help it can get, so it should not be disadvantaged for no good reason.
Graham, England

Typically, the politicians want "business as usual" and despots like of Mugabe want to present a face of normality while their people starve and the country is ruled by terror. England should definitely not go, and we should ask Zimbabwe not to come here next summer.
Richard, UK,

Leaving politics aside, it is morally wrong to go to Zimbabwe and I pray the England team will decide not to go.
Alan, UK

In every other situation like this, international sports events have been banned from these states. Allowing this to proceed would appear to give Mugabe's regime some legitimacy and support.

I'm sorry for the Zimbabwean people, but moving the event would send a message to the world about the situation there. To allow it would be to condone Mugabe.
Lee, England

Sporting isolation was a contributing factor to the downfall of the evil regime in South Africa - let's give it a chance to work in Zimbabwe. Incidentally, South Africa are not blameless in this - their government should be doing a lot more to condemn Mugabe.
Bob, England

Of course we should not play in Zimbabwe. What is going on there is as wrong as the apartheid regime in South Africa that the sports boycott helped change. Some people argue that politics should not come into sport, but surely sportsmen cannot abdicate their moral responsibilities.
Richard, UK

Sport and Politics have never existed in isolation. Given the current political climate in Zimbabwe it would be wrong for any of the games to be played there. Just as Ian Smith's government faced sanctions and boycotts, so to must Mugabe's.
Marty, Zimbabwe

Political reasons should not be allowed to disrupt cricket. Zimbabwe is an emerging cricket nation, and the ICC should impose heavy penalties on those countries that refuse to play there. They should forfeit their games and compensate Zimbabwe for financial loss.
Sarfraz Ali, Malta

Considering the current political situation, there is a clear risk of hosting any international event in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has been marred by violence and political unrest under the Mugabe regime for quite some time.

When the security of its own citizens is not guaranteed, how can the government or even the Zimbabwe cricket board guarantee the safety of any visiting teams?
Sri Raghavan, England

The world rightly isolated South African sport because of apartheid. Morally, it would be wrong to allow World Cup matches in Zimbabwe.
Matthew Tattersall, South Africa

Zimbabwe has been engulfed by the swirling clouds of doom and pesimism. Denying the country to right to host some of the cricket World Cup games will only add to the gloom that has gripped this beautiful land.
Brian Jaison, Zimbabwe

It is indefensible to go to Zimbabwe. In 1970, the MCC South African tour was - rightly, in my opinion - called off because of apartheid, caused by the selection of Basil d'Olivera (Mind you, with England's present team selected for Australia, perhaps our cry should be 'Come back Dolly, all is forgiven').

The loss of cricket in, and against, South Africa in the 1970s caused that country to change its policies - and quickly.

If we had someone - anyone - with the political courage to say that we will not go to Zimbabwe, I believe that it will bring about reform also in that country very quickly.

It may well be that the people and cricketers in Zimbabwe will lose out temporarily. That is a small price to pay for the democratic reforms necessary in that country to be implemented.

We have taken that course of action once before in the 1970s. It would, I believe, be hypocritical not to do so again.
Graham Holland, England

I think 80% of those who are saying it's not safe are basing it on fiction. I would go ahead with the matches in Zimbabwe but obviously the real reason for not touring has to do with external pressure from various governments' political motives.
Shyamal Shah, USA

We used to say that politics and sport shouldn't mix. A great idea up to a point but clearly flawed. Mugabe is the worst kind of tyrant who effectively sanctions murder as just! We can't send a team to play cricket in his country until he's been removed.
Mike Jones, England

The tournament should be moved. To play in Zimbabwe would be a vindication of the government that is in power (it works both ways).
Sean Kelly, Rossendale, England

As somebody who lives in Harare myself I can honestly say that player safety is not a concern. The players are probably safer in Harare and Bulawayo than they would be in Johannesburg.

The problems in the country are very serious indeed, but are confined mainly to the rural areas and high density suburbs. So player safety should not be the issue in my opinion. It is true that allowing the games to go ahead would lend some legitimacy to Mugabe and his thugs and this is a valid argument.

However, I think that scrapping the games might deal Zimbabwe cricket a blow from which it might never recover. The cricketers and the public are not to blame for the problems - in fact, a number of our cricketers are from farming families who have borne the brunt of the regime.

Cancelling the games will not change anything and I really don't think the ruling party cares whether they go ahead or not. I think the suffering public in Zimbabwe should be given something to smile about.
Bryan, South Africa

Whenever there is a political uncertainity, the players should not be jeopardized. The games should be moved to Kenya, look at what happened in Pakistan with the New Zealand team.
Ashok, USA

For the sake of cricket development in Zimbabwe the games should go ahead. Players would be safe and moving the games elsewhere would merely punish the people of Zimbabwe, the majority of whom are not at fault.
Michael, UK

Keep up the pressure against despot Mugabe, but let the fun and games take place. Add in a proviso that he must allow TV coverage from the BBC. Once the stage is set someone will cause an international embarrassment. Remember the New Zealand pilot who dropped flour bombs from his plane during a rugby match against the Springboks?
Paul Snook, Iran

I was reading a newspaper article last week and someone was urging the world not to send food relief to Zimbabwe until Mugabe goes. Now some people are suggesting that taking the cricket World Cup away from the people of Zimbabwe is punishing the political leadership.

Until England came to Zimbabwe sometime in the 1990s I had no idea what cricket was all about. The games were shown live on main television and tickets were subsidised. I am grateful because I now know how beautiful the game is.

The political leadership you intend to punish are rich and will watch the World Cup on satellite, no matter where it's being played. If you open your eyes you will see that it's the ordinary men in the street who will be denied.
Simbarashe, Zimbabwe

Sanctions against Zimbabwe should include cricket. No international games should be played there until democracy has been reestablished, and no succour can be offered to this repressive regime!
Harold, Barbados

No players' lives should be risked for any political scenarios anywhere in the world. If the concerned country can't provide a safe atmosphere for sport, then it must take its fair share of criticism.
Siddhartha Shivshankar, India (USA)

Things are not as bad as they looked a few months ago and they are definitely getting better. We still have another six months until the World Cup, and the political situation may have settled by then.

Why would cricket lovers of Zimbabwe suffer just because of the unpleasant acts committed by a section of their politicians? Give them a chance.
Dushy, Country

The games in Zim should be cancelled and moved into South Africa. Zimbabwe has too many problems, and it would put players and spectators at risk. The games could even be moved from Zimbabwe to Kenya, Which I think would be the better option. Zimbabwe doesn't have what it takes to host those games whereas SA and Kenya do.
Grant Phillips, South Africa

The games should definitely be moved - it would be a massive propaganda boost for Zimbabwe if they are played.
Tom Crick, UK

It's sad, but hardly surprising, that considerations are being made to not play in Zimbabwe. It would be ideal if sporting events could be separate from politics but this is usually a fanciful notion. If there is any realistic threat to player safety because of the political situation, that must be considered above all else.
Tim, UK

There is no doubt that the event should be moved. Until the government gets its human rights act cleaned up all international sporting events should be moved from Zimbabwe. Holding major sporting events only supports the government, and furthers its ability to abuse human rights.
Greg, Bermuda

World Cup games should not be moved from Zimbabwe. Cricket should not be involved with politics. If any of the teams don't want to play in Zimbabwe then Zimbabwe should by default win that match - just as Sri Lanka had won their matches in the 1996 World Cup when Australia and West Indies didn't play there.
Abhinav, USA

Once again we have sad proof that sport, willingly or not, is inextricably linked to international politics. Whilst the players' and travelling supporters' safety must be considered and cared for, I fear other agendas and sinister moves are behind these discussions, and unfortunately cricket will suffer as the sacrificial lamb whatever the outcome.
Monty, Ireland