Harmison warns: Jos Buttler does not leave alone in the boycott dilemma!

Harmison warns: Jos Buttler does not leave alone in the boycott dilemma!

Lahore, Pakistan - The pressure on England's cricket captain Jos Buttler is growing! In the middle of a political storm that shakes the sports world, experts warn that Buttler should not be made a scapegoat. The former English bowler Steve Harmison has had an urgent appeal not to "throw" butters under the bus, while the discussion about a possible boycott of the Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan gains.

Over 160 British politicians have come together and ask the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to cancel the game against Afghanistan. The reason? The misogynistic sports policy of the Taliban, which has forbidden women to participate in sport in 2021 since their return to power. This decision is in direct contradiction to the rules of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

a sensitive dilemma for the ECB

While the Taliban prohibits women in sport, the ICC has yet decided that the Afghan men's team can continue to take part in international competitions. On February 26, England is faced with the challenge of playing Afghanistan in Lahore. ECB boss Richard Gould has spoken out against a boycott and instead pleads for collective measures by the ICC to avoid a possible point deduction for England.

The situation is also complicated by the statements by Prime Minister Keir Strandmer, who asks the ICC to take the initiative. But Harmison, which himself was part of a boycott call during the 2003 World Cup, fears that Buttler could get into the focus of criticism. "Please don't let Jos Butler get into this position, he really doesn't need it," said Harmison in a podcast.

The shadows of the past

Harmison remembers the difficult times when the English team boycotted a game against Zimbabwe in 2003 due to threats to murder against the players. "Nasser Hussain was not only thrown under the bus, he was ran over again," said Harmison. "Athletes should not be involved in political conflicts."

The concerns of the ECB about possible security risks in the event of a boycott by Taliban supporters cannot be ignored. While South Africa, which is also supposed to compete against Afghanistan, supports the position of the ECB, the veteran of the anti-apartheid movement, Peter Hain, calls for a boycott. But the President of Cricket South Africa, Rihan Richards, emphasizes that a uniform approach of all ICC members would be more effective.

-transmitted by West-Ost-Medien