ICC reluctant to guarantee player safety for 2011 World Cup

Melbourne, Mar 8 (PTI) The International Cricket Council
Sunday refused to guarantee the safety and security of players
anywhere in the world in the aftermath of the terror attacks
on Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

Asked if the ICC was unable to ensure player security at
the 2011 World Cup to be held in the Indian subcontinent,
Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat told reporters in Sydney "that
would be the attitude to any event anywhere in the world".

Lorgat said the terror attack in Pakistan on Tuesday
would forever change the sporting world's landscape.

"We are all aware of how that is likely to change the
landscape on security assessments going forward and the kind
of threat we might face not just in cricket but in all
sports," he said.

"That's because in my view that is a barrier that has
been breached and once you cross over something of that sort,
I think things will change forever," he added.

Lorgat said the ICC would issue a detailed report on the
Lahore attacks following next month's ICC Board meeting.

"We will respond in a manner that will be responsible and
proper and we have scheduled an agenda item for the Board
meeting in April where we would like to fully assess what has
transpired and how we will respond.

"It is a very complex issue and we must respond and we
will respond," he said.

The ICC CEO did not buy the conspiracy theories
surrounding the attack.

"My first reaction is that I do not believe that (was
part of a conspiracy), if that is indeed the case we are in
for a very sad period. It is pure coincidence," he said.

Lorgat said Australian umpires Simon Taufel and Steve
Davis, who criticised security arrangements, needed time "to
be more rational" about the Lahore attack.

Taufel, Davis and English match referee Chris Broad have
claimed the security escort deserted them on that fateful day.

"I am mindful of the experience they have gone through
and it is a difficult time for them.

"I guess if you or I had gone through something we might
have reacted in a similar fashion and we must just understand
the context and we must just allow them to settle down and be
more rational in their assessment of what has transpired."

Lorgat was also non-committal when asked if Taufel, Davis
and Broad could be punished by the ICC for their comments.

"I don't want to respond in an equally knee-jerk fashion,
we must just let settle what has happened," he said.

"It is a serious issue that has transpired, it was
absolutely life-threatening, and we must be very cool, calm
and collected." PTI SKI
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