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SYDNEY: Australias Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Thursday said he took seriously a right-wing Hindu partys threat to stop its cricketers playing in an Indian state which hosts lucrative IPL matches.
Smith said Australian cricket and foreign ministry officials were discussing the comments from Bal Thackeray, head of Mumbais influential Shiv Sena, which follow a string of attacks on Indian nationals in Australia.
Thackeray said the party would not let kangaroo cricketers play in its home state of Maharashtra where two major cities, Mumbai and Nagpur, hold Indian Premier League (IPL) games.
This has come from a political party and theyve made comments about disrupting cricket in the past and theyve also disrupted some cricket games, Smith told Sky News.
We take any threat against Australians overseas seriously. In the last couple of years weve developed a very close relationship with Cricket Australia so far as Australian cricket teams and individuals playing overseas are concerned.
The Shiv Sena has in the past prevented Pakistans national team from playing in Maharashtra for what it says is Islamabads backing of militant activities in India.
Smith said any decision to play in India would have to be taken by individual players and teams, adding that the government would provide security advice.
Australian cricketers like captain Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson will be among the star players in the IPL Twenty20 competitions third edition in March and April.
In the end its a matter for Cricket Australia and the individual cricketers to make a judgement about whether they travel and play overseas, Smith said.
We make sure that theyre in receipt of the most recent advice, and as a consequence of this most recent suggestion Cricket Australia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials will be having one of their regular conversations today.
He added that Australia would also keep a close eye on security for other events in India, including this years hockey World Cup and the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. AFP
Smith said Australian cricket and foreign ministry officials were discussing the comments from Bal Thackeray, head of Mumbais influential Shiv Sena, which follow a string of attacks on Indian nationals in Australia.
Thackeray said the party would not let kangaroo cricketers play in its home state of Maharashtra where two major cities, Mumbai and Nagpur, hold Indian Premier League (IPL) games.
This has come from a political party and theyve made comments about disrupting cricket in the past and theyve also disrupted some cricket games, Smith told Sky News.
We take any threat against Australians overseas seriously. In the last couple of years weve developed a very close relationship with Cricket Australia so far as Australian cricket teams and individuals playing overseas are concerned.
The Shiv Sena has in the past prevented Pakistans national team from playing in Maharashtra for what it says is Islamabads backing of militant activities in India.
Smith said any decision to play in India would have to be taken by individual players and teams, adding that the government would provide security advice.
Australian cricketers like captain Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson will be among the star players in the IPL Twenty20 competitions third edition in March and April.
In the end its a matter for Cricket Australia and the individual cricketers to make a judgement about whether they travel and play overseas, Smith said.
We make sure that theyre in receipt of the most recent advice, and as a consequence of this most recent suggestion Cricket Australia and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officials will be having one of their regular conversations today.
He added that Australia would also keep a close eye on security for other events in India, including this years hockey World Cup and the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. AFP
