The British government is considering banning all Zimbabwean sports people from competing in the United Kingdom.
The BBC's Inside Sport programme has learned that this is one option being discussed to prevent Zimbabwe's cricket team touring England next year.
Cricket chiefs have warned that England could lose the rights to host the 2009 World Twenty20 if Zimbabwe are banned.
But Downing Street sources say Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants to take a tough stance against Robert Mugabe.
Denying visas to all Zimbabwe sports people would be a highly controversial decison.
For example, Cara Black could not defend her Wimbledon women's doubles title, Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry would not be able to enter the UK and golfer Nick Price would be unable to play in the Open.
There could also be a knock-on effect for England's World Cup bid for 2018 and for Zimbabwe's competitors at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014.
There would be no issue with the 2012 Olympics, as the government has already had to sign the host city contract that guarantees entry into the country for anybody with International Olympic Committee (IOC) accreditation.
A more likely compromise would be to stop Zimbabwe's cricketers from coming to the UK although this would not please the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council.
Or the government could stop the tour but allow Zimbabwe to compete at the Twenty20 World Cup later in 2009.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has refused to ban Zimbawe despite numerous protests during matches involving the country and a source told the BC there was no chance of it changing its mind.
Tony Blair's government stopped short of banning England's cricketers from touring Zimbabwe, although authorities in Australia and New Zealand have done so with their sides.
Former Zimbawean cricketer Henry Olonga welcomed the renewed attention given to the issue.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's great to see that Gordon Brown is taking a much stronger stance than his predecessor.
"Zimbabwe's in a desperate position, 100,000 per cent inflation, there's poverty across the whole country, so it's a deperate, desperate situation."
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is trying to reach a financial compromise with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) to call off next summer's two Test matches and three one-day internationals.
But the ECB does not yet seem to be close to any deal.
The government will want to wait until after the elections in Zimbabwe at the end of March before making a decision.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7276152.stm
Video report :: http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/ne...276200/7276258.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1
The BBC's Inside Sport programme has learned that this is one option being discussed to prevent Zimbabwe's cricket team touring England next year.
Cricket chiefs have warned that England could lose the rights to host the 2009 World Twenty20 if Zimbabwe are banned.
But Downing Street sources say Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants to take a tough stance against Robert Mugabe.
Denying visas to all Zimbabwe sports people would be a highly controversial decison.
For example, Cara Black could not defend her Wimbledon women's doubles title, Olympic swimming champion Kirsty Coventry would not be able to enter the UK and golfer Nick Price would be unable to play in the Open.
There could also be a knock-on effect for England's World Cup bid for 2018 and for Zimbabwe's competitors at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014.
There would be no issue with the 2012 Olympics, as the government has already had to sign the host city contract that guarantees entry into the country for anybody with International Olympic Committee (IOC) accreditation.
A more likely compromise would be to stop Zimbabwe's cricketers from coming to the UK although this would not please the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council.
Or the government could stop the tour but allow Zimbabwe to compete at the Twenty20 World Cup later in 2009.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has refused to ban Zimbawe despite numerous protests during matches involving the country and a source told the BC there was no chance of it changing its mind.
Tony Blair's government stopped short of banning England's cricketers from touring Zimbabwe, although authorities in Australia and New Zealand have done so with their sides.
Former Zimbawean cricketer Henry Olonga welcomed the renewed attention given to the issue.
He told BBC Radio 5 Live: "It's great to see that Gordon Brown is taking a much stronger stance than his predecessor.
"Zimbabwe's in a desperate position, 100,000 per cent inflation, there's poverty across the whole country, so it's a deperate, desperate situation."
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is trying to reach a financial compromise with the Zimbabwe Cricket Union (ZCU) to call off next summer's two Test matches and three one-day internationals.
But the ECB does not yet seem to be close to any deal.
The government will want to wait until after the elections in Zimbabwe at the end of March before making a decision.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/7276152.stm
Video report :: http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/ne...276200/7276258.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1