By Zim Sport Live Writer
Former Zimbabwe Minister of Sport, David Coltart, has launched a scathing attack on Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), condemning the board’s handling of veteran all-rounder Sean Williams and describing the organisation’s actions as “callous, cruel and shocking.”
Coltart, a long-time advocate for transparency and professionalism in Zimbabwean sport, expressed outrage on social media following ZC’s latest statement regarding Williams.
Earlier on Tuesday, the country’s cricket association revealed that Williams would not be considered for selection Former after he entered a rehabilitation programme to treat drug addiction.
Zimbabwe Cricket’s announcement, whose details sparked widespread debate among fans and former players, was released at a time Coltart in a statement to ZimSportLive called “inappropriate and risible.”
“I am completely and utterly appalled by the action taken by Zimbabwe Cricket today in the issuance of the following statement,” Coltart wrote. “I cannot think of more inappropriate timing for such a statement. And the content in many respects is risible.”
Coltart took particular issue with ZC’s reference to maintaining the “highest professional standards,” calling the claim “astonishingly ironic” given what he described as the organisation’s long record of alleged maladministration.
“The mention of the ‘highest professional standards’ is astonishingly ironic coming from an organization which has a history littered with maladministration,” he said.
The former sports minister went on to express sympathy for Williams, thanking the left-hander for his years of service to the national team.
“My thoughts are with Sean Williams and his family. He did not deserve to be betrayed in this callous, cruel and shocking way. Sean has been an amazing patriot who has given his all for his country and done us proud on the international stage. He and his family simply deserve better than this.”
Coltart, who is also the mayor of Bulawayo, concluded his statement with a direct rebuke of Zimbabwe Cricket’s leadership:
“The Board and management of Zimbabwe Cricket should be ashamed of themselves. Do better.”
Williams, 38, has been one of Zimbabwe’s most consistent performers in recent years.
He has scored almost 9,000 runs and taken more than 150 wickets across all three formats of the game for his country.
He pulled out of the T20 side before a World Cup Africa Qualifier series in Harare in September and during an internal investigation into the reasons for his withdrawal he “disclosed that he has been struggling with drug addiction and has voluntarily entered rehabilitation.