Where's the World Cup Buzz?

At this point in the lead-up to the World Cup, most of us?should be experiencing the?greatest excitement, but?there's something missing somewhere. Enthusiasm?is significantly?diminishing. But why? I'll hazard a guess that it's the direct result of?the?daily verbal tangles and highly controversial issues -- most not even related to cricket -- which?are relentlessly?hounding the?prestigious event.?

Fans are?fed up. No, not with our team seeking their 'piece of the financial?pie' or Marlon's knee, those ticklish issues have been amicably settled; it's the bigger picture that's nauseating.

England, Australia, New Zealand.......morality, security......hand-shaking! ?

As?anyone who?logs on to this Website?should know by now,?I call it as I see it, and to me, the continuing?cacophony of bitterness is a?vivid?reflection of the?distinctly black and white world in which we live. I?truly believe,?we are currently?witnessing a clear-cut case of natural instinct viciously attempting to?impose itself. Dominance?is the name of the game. The?'well-to-do' nations, who are conveniently and supposedly?colour-blind,?seek to have their way at all times, cost it what it will.?

The complainants in this case?have a common bonding, and their message?can by no stretch of the imagination surprise?or deceive?the conscious. What irks, is? some of the frivolity!? In particular,?mulling over the impressions?that would be conveyed?by shaking hands?with President Robert Mugabe. We're talking? serious moral high ground here!? Well, after whining for many weeks about?getting precious hands dirtied by a ruthless dictator, they were taken out of their possible interactive misery, when they learnt that they?would not be required to. End of matter...or so one would have thought!

Next on the agenda?when?the handshake?excuse doesn't work? Security, of course. Threatening letters are mysteriously placed?under players' hotel doors, warning of serious consequences if they?venture to Zimbabwe.?A sudden?and?serious turn of events, intended to solidify the feeling of?discomfort, thus creating the ultimate excuse. The alternative?? Let's go to South Africa - world leaders in rape (especially of children), car-jackings and many?other violent crimes, along with clearly evident?residuals of apartheid. Somehow, they are?more comfortable to be in that 'morally sound'?environment.

A pertinent?question: Are these complainants?totally?free from sin, or if you prefer, transgression?

England, for all its respectability, pomp and splendour?has?innumerable?well documented and publicized?cases of racial insensitivities -- individual or else, and is often?accused of inadequately addressing the many?concerns of its growing minorities. Do visiting?teams consisting of players from those same minorities?threaten to boycott their country, based on those allegations or?facts? Not that I know of.?

Australia,?quite recently?were exposed with their?repressive refugee?camps -- containing?thousands of intended immigrants -- and were chided for their?indifference?towards?those they were holding?in such confines. They proffered their right to do as they pleased; as a sovereign nation. True, one certainly cannot question their sovereignty, but?isn't morality taking a back seat somewhere in that mix??

And these 'concerned' countries; is it only they, who?have the?right to be selective about the composition of their?population? To be unapologetic about their?selectivity, exclusivity and reported harsh treatment of the rejected?? To?not have to answer for perceived or possible?human rights abuses???Is everything that takes place within their boundaries beyond reproach??And for emphasis.?With almost weekly arrests of?Al Qaeda and suchlike in their environs, do these countries?not have security concerns like the rest of us??

Will we ever be able to?clearly define what acceptable?levels of security are? Tolerance levels?or thresholds vary, but it is customary for the devil to take the hindmost. I guess people from 'tough' places?are expected?to withstand all and sundry.

It is truly?regrettable that because of?economic circumstances or limited opportunities?in our various lands, so many millions?of us from the?Third?World?have to rub our noses in the dirt,?queuing up longingly?outside embassies and consulates for?the chance to reach these?'promised lands'. Such demeaning, but?in many cases, absolutely necessary?activities and circumstances, have?made our nations?fodder when it comes to sound?representation of our principled positions and preferences.?

Many amongst us question the ideologies and?methodologies of the maverick?Jagmohan Dalmiya, the BCCI, and the Indian cricket team,?but they must now be?complimented for standing firm in adversity, and maintaining some semblance of?a balance of power. Everyone is important, and should be so treated.?

There are no mazes to figure out, no complexities to unravel in all this high-level hobnobbing and outright snobbing. The 'lacerations'?are?freely?oozing the D's -?distaste, distrust and disgust.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) must be commended for their dogged efforts during the?uninhibited exchanges, and subsequently, for their?firm and definitive?ruling on the issue of relocating certain fixtures.

Amazingly, New Zealand (one of the teams in our pool) who?didn't initially express too much concern, has taken it to the?limit. It has?forfeited?its?game (and?points) against Kenya. How right or wrong this is, is not for me to decide -- for even we have forfeited before -- but the ramifications of?the action,?correlates with?the?waning?interest in the upcoming extravaganza.

A farcical?scenario is?already unfolding.

By virtue of New Zealand's 'bold' decision, Kenya?has?in effect?gone?to the top of Pool B, and New Zealand calmly places itself?at a disadvantage -- all this, and we still have a week to go before competition commences.

And England aren't through complaining yet, possibly they'll forfeit....oh yes, and there's Australia and the ultra-moral?Matthew Hayden and all the rest?of it.

Should?we still be excited about the World Cup? The next few days will be interesting.

* Nigel McKenzie is a cricket columnist for Guyana's Kaieteur News.