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Craig HillCricket Australia Will Step Up Security In UAE
March 3rd 2009 11:51
Australia's upcoming one-day series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates in April will go ahead, but Cricket Australia admits it will step up its security processes in the wake of the terrorist attack against the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore.
At least six Sri Lankan cricketers were injured as gunmen opened fire on the team bus as it made its way to the third day's play in the second Test against Pakistan in Lahore. The attack has stunned the cricket world and thrown a major cloud over the future of international cricket in the troubled nation.
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said at this stage the series in the UAE, which was initially scheduled to be played in Pakistan, will go ahead but it reserves the right to call off the tour pending updated security advice.
"We're scheduled to play against Pakistan in the UAE starting in late April, at this stage that tour will go ahead as planned," Sutherland said.
"Of course with any tour we play overseas, it is always subject to the latest security advice we have. We will go through our usual course of pre-tour visits ahead of that tour. Within that we reserve judgement at any stage if we feel it is not safe for out team to be in a certain place, we will take appropriate action and the appropriate steps just as we have in the past."
Sutherland said that Cricket Australia has every confidence in its security advice, but that the brazen and blatant targeting of international cricketers in the Lahore attack would se CA put even more focus on player security.
"We're very aware and very concerned about security issues surrounding our team, and to others. Other members of Cricket Australia staff travel overseas from time to time. We need to be very aware and take the best possible advice," he said.
"We have our own independent security consultants. We take the best advice we can from government and other sources. We won't in anyway be stepping down, we will be stepping up in that."
Pakistan is one of four hosts for the 2011 World Cup, and while Sutherland said that it was too early to discuss the suitability of Pakistan for that role, he admitted that security concerns would remain.
"That's way too far ahead to be predicting the future. The 2011 World Cup is two years away, there's a lot to happen between now and then. Needless to say, there would obviously be security concerns about Pakistan, who are one of the four host nations for the 2011 World Cup. Let's see how that unfolds," he said.
Sportal
At least six Sri Lankan cricketers were injured as gunmen opened fire on the team bus as it made its way to the third day's play in the second Test against Pakistan in Lahore. The attack has stunned the cricket world and thrown a major cloud over the future of international cricket in the troubled nation.
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said at this stage the series in the UAE, which was initially scheduled to be played in Pakistan, will go ahead but it reserves the right to call off the tour pending updated security advice.
"We're scheduled to play against Pakistan in the UAE starting in late April, at this stage that tour will go ahead as planned," Sutherland said.
James Sutherland
"Of course with any tour we play overseas, it is always subject to the latest security advice we have. We will go through our usual course of pre-tour visits ahead of that tour. Within that we reserve judgement at any stage if we feel it is not safe for out team to be in a certain place, we will take appropriate action and the appropriate steps just as we have in the past."
Sutherland said that Cricket Australia has every confidence in its security advice, but that the brazen and blatant targeting of international cricketers in the Lahore attack would se CA put even more focus on player security.
"We're very aware and very concerned about security issues surrounding our team, and to others. Other members of Cricket Australia staff travel overseas from time to time. We need to be very aware and take the best possible advice," he said.
"We have our own independent security consultants. We take the best advice we can from government and other sources. We won't in anyway be stepping down, we will be stepping up in that."
Pakistan is one of four hosts for the 2011 World Cup, and while Sutherland said that it was too early to discuss the suitability of Pakistan for that role, he admitted that security concerns would remain.
"That's way too far ahead to be predicting the future. The 2011 World Cup is two years away, there's a lot to happen between now and then. Needless to say, there would obviously be security concerns about Pakistan, who are one of the four host nations for the 2011 World Cup. Let's see how that unfolds," he said.
Sportal
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