Security Forces Kookaburras Out Of Trophy
The Age
Wednesday July 25, 2007
THE Australian men's team, the reigning Olympic champion, has withdrawn from the Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan in December because of security fears.
The decision to withdraw the Kookaburras from the event in Lahore comes despite Cricket Australia confirming that two of its national teams, the men's under-19s and Australia A, will travel to Pakistan in September and October.The chief executive of Hockey Australia, Linden Adamson, said he had taken comprehensive advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and informed the world hockey body, FIH, that it had declined the invitation to the Champions Trophy, which features the world's top-six-ranked nations. Australia also withdrew when Pakistan last hosted the tournament in 2004. "It is pretty adverse at the moment in Pakistan and we didn't want to leave the decision any longer," said Adamson. "There is an election in Pakistan for the first time in some time later in the year and we have been told there could be further instability, so while we would really like to compete in a tournament to prepare for the Beijing Olympics, we've decided not to go. "We are conscious of our role as the Olympic champions but we are more conscious of our responsibility to the players." Adamson said the eight staff and 18 players had been informed and everyone had accepted the position. It is understood that Spain is also concerned about security, but the other nations - Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea and Pakistan - intend to play. Yesterday a Cricket Australia spokesman said: "We intend to fulfil our touring obligations, albeit it relies upon daily appraisals in relation to security arrangements."
© 2007 The Age