Ministers consider Zimbabwe cricket ban

The prospect of Zimbabwe's cricketers being barred from touring the UK was being debated last night after the Government was forced to deny it is planning a "blanket ban" on the country's sportsmen in protest at Robert Mugabe's regime.

BBC1's Inside Sport cited "Downing Street sources" in a report claiming a ban was being considered. But it said cricket chiefs were warning that England could lose the right to host the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup if Zimbabwe was banned from taking part. A spokesman for Gordon Brown would only rule out a "blanket ban" on all Zimbabwean sportsmen, but added: "If [the cricket authorities] decided they want to ban Zimbabwe, we would support them."

The former Zimbabwe bowler Henry Olonga – who protested against Mr Mugabe at the 2003 Cricket World Cup – told BBC radio he would welcome action from Mr Brown. "It's great to see that Gordon Brown is taking a much stronger stance than his predecessor [Tony Blair]," he said. "Zimbabwe is in a desperate position."

A spokesman for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport confirmed discussions were taking place between ministers and cricketing authorities. "There are ongoing discussions... but no decisions have been made," the spokesman said.