Security risk of travelling to Pakistan higher than ever before, warns FICA chairman - Cricket News Update
Whilst the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747 Cricket Board to send its players to Pakistan next month for a one day series, the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) has warned the international players
and the boards that the risk of travelling to Pakistan is “higher than ever before”.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Federation of International Cricketers Association, Tim May, on Saturday said that the risk factor of touring Pakistan now is much higher than 2009, when the on tour Sri Lankan team was attacked by militants in the
country’s provincial capital of Lahore.
"As a point of interest, leading independent security advisors rate the inherent security risk of travelling to Pakistan higher now than at the time of attack on the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Usa-c759.
It was March 3, 2009 when the Sri Lankan cricket team, on its way to the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore, was attacked by the militants, leaving six visiting players and their assistant coach injured. Since then, no international team has toured the country. The
Pakistan cricket team has been forced to host its home series against various countries on the neutral venues of UAE, Sri Lanka, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, causing huge financial losses to the Pakistan Cricket Board. The players also miss home advantage.
In the aftermath of those attacks, the country also lost its hosting rights for the 2011 ICC World Cup, which was initially scheduled to be jointly hosted by Pakistan, Sri Lanka, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 and Bangladesh. Pakistan’s matches were divided amongst the other three
hosts.
After a drought of three years, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has given Pakistan hope of bringing the sport back to the deprived country. The BCB President, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mustafa-Kamal-c78122, who is touring Pakistan these days, had yesterday vowed to help his PCB counterparts
at the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 level, in his efforts to bring back international cricket to the country.
Bangladesh’s security force will soon visit Pakistan to assess the security conditions in the country before sending its players there. But no representative from the players' body will go with the team to inspect the security arrangements in Pakistan, something
that has astonished the FICA chairman, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Timothy-Brian-Alexander-May-c93981.
"It is extraordinary that Boards think they cannot involve players' representatives, or more particularly their specialist security advisors, to be part of such security visits,” said May.
“These are the very individuals that are at risk - to deny them the opportunity to receive independent advice as to their safety, is simply unthinkable in this age," he added further.
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