Zimbabwe Cricket hits back at Coltart over racism claims

Published: 7 hours ago

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has launched a strong rebuttal against what it describes as a long-running smear campaign by Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart, accusing him of targeting black administrators with unfounded allegations of racism.

In a statement, ZC said Coltart's persistent social media posts, framed as the voice of "concerned cricket lovers," in fact promote a "divisive and damaging narrative" that undermines unity and progress within the sport. The board dismissed his criticism as being driven by "personal bitterness and racial prejudice" rather than constructive engagement.

"Selection is inherently subjective and always open to debate," ZC said, "but Coltart's persistent claims of non-existent racist policies are both dangerous and deplorable."

The governing body challenged Coltart to present concrete evidence to support his allegations, warning that his political profile made such "empty noise" particularly harmful.

ZC also highlighted the sport's long and complicated racial history in Zimbabwe, noting that cricket was introduced during the colonial era as an exclusive white preserve. It took more than a century for a black player to represent the country at the highest level, but since independence in 1980, the organisation has driven a transformation programme aimed at making teams representative of the nation's demographics.

The statement emphasised that team selection is based solely on merit, with "no place for racial prejudice" in the game, and reaffirmed ZC's full compliance with the International Cricket Council's Anti-Discrimination Code.

In turning the spotlight back on Coltart, ZC accused him of politicising cricket during his tenure as Minister of Sport and linked him to the 2003 Cricket World Cup controversy. At the time, he publicly called for a boycott of Zimbabwe matches and was involved in discussions with players Andy Flower and Henry Olonga ahead of their black armband protest.

That period, ZC argued, led to England's withdrawal from a Harare fixture and the freezing of bilateral cricket ties for 23 years - a diplomatic freeze only broken this year with the one-off Test against England at Trent Bridge.

The board further criticised Coltart for portraying himself as a champion of Zimbabwean cricket despite what it says is a track record of deepening divisions. It accused him of selectively voicing outrage only when white players are left out of the national team, and of celebrating mainly white players' achievements.

"ZC rejects division, politicisation, and any attempt to destabilise the sport," the statement concluded. "Our cricket is a shared heritage belonging to every Zimbabwean who plays, supports, and loves the game, not to divisive politicians clinging to a bitter past."
- ZC

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