Lorgat urges World Cup organisers to monitor Pakistan:
The ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has asked the 2011 World Cup organising
committee to consider shifting venues if the political climate in Pakistan
worsens. Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are to co-host the World Cup
in February-March 2011 but Lorgat said security concerns in Pakistan need to be
monitored.
"It [alternate venues] is a consideration we have to give attention to," Lorgat
said at a meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss preparations for the
tournament. "This is not something we discussed today, except to ask the
organisers to consider alternate host city venues within the country as well as
alternate country venues in the event something is not favourable in one of the
particular host countries."
Pakistan has struggled to attract touring teams for a number of years because of
seurity concerns. Australia postponed their full tour of Pakistan last year and
India pulled out of a tour starting in January this year in the aftermath of the
Mumbai terrorist strikes, following which Sri Lanka agreed to a split tour.
Earlier this month the ICC decided not to stage the postponed 2009 Champions
Trophy in Pakistan after several members expressed reservations about touring
the country.
Lorgat did not think it was time to panic about 2011. "I think it's still a long
way off to [the] World Cup," he said. "It is certainly a consideration to keep
note of but it's way too early to be already concerned at this particular
stage."
Relations have deteriorated between India and Pakistan after last year's Mumbai
attacks but Lorgat did not think that would affect the World Cup. "This issue
must be approached with an optimistic viewpoint, certainly because we still have
some time in hand. I think it's way too early to be presumptuous and assume that
things won't work," he said. "When we come close to the event, obviously we have
to pay much more attention to the issues like safety, security and relation
between the countries. But I can assure you at this stage we are planning a
World Cup for all four countries."
The next World Cup will be shortened to six weeks, Lorgat said. The planning
committee has appointed Salim Butt as its managing director. Lorgat said a
number of groups had also been created "so that we can deliver a successful,
world-class event."
