ICC suspends Zimbabwe Cricket with immediate effect

The International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended Zimbabwe Cricket on Thursday with immediate effect, after it found that the government was intervening in the administration of sport in the country, and that the board was unable to prevent it. The decision was taken at the ICC Annual Conference in London.

ICC's funding to Zimbabwe Cricket will be frozen and representative teams from the country will not allowed to participate in ICC tournaments.

"The ICC Board unanimously decided that the Full Member had failed to fulfil their obligation to provide a process for free and democratic elections and to ensure that there is no government interference in its administration for cricket," an ICC statement read.

The suspension will affect Zimbabwe's chances of taking part in the World T20 qualifying tournament starting in October this year.

"We do not take the decision to suspend a Member lightly, but we must keep our sport free from political interference. What has happened in Zimbabwe is a serious breach of the ICC Constitution and we cannot allow it to continue unchecked," ICC chairman Shashank Manohar said in the statement.

"The ICC wants cricket to continue in Zimbabwe in accordance with the ICC Constitution."

In June this year, Zimbabwe Cricket was suspended and its acting managing director Givermore Makoni was suspended by the Sports and Recreation Commission of the country.

The ICC has directed that the elected Zimbabwe Cricket board be reinstated to office within three months.

The ICC board, at the meeting on Thursday, unanimously decided that the actions of the Sports and Recreation Commission in suspending the board in June constituted government interference in Zimbabwe Cricket's affairs.

Croatia Cricket Federation and the Zambia Cricket Union, too, have been suspended for continuing non-compliance with ICC membership criteria.