Call off World Cup, says Donald

[Lazie]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>Call off World Cup, says Donald </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV> <DIV class=cap>Donald played under Woolmer for South Africa and at Warwickshire</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Former South Africa star Allan Donald says the World Cup should be called off in the wake of the news that Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was murdered.

The International Cricket Council insists the tournament will continue but Donald, who played under Woolmer for the Proteas, disagrees.

"I just don't know how this World Cup can continue under the shadow of what's happened," Donald BBC Radio Five Live.

"World Cup 2007 will be forever remembered for this."

<DIV class=avinline>Interview: Former South Africa bowler Allan Donald </DIV><DIV class=avinline>News conference: ICC chief exec Malcolm Speed </DIV>

Woolmer was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room on Sunday morning, a day after Pakistan had been knocked out of the World Cup by Ireland, and was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.

Jamaica police confirmed on Thursday that the 58-year-old had been strangled.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>I just can't believe that people can go to these lengths about a game of cricket <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>Allan Donald</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Despite the news, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said the tournament will continue as scheduled.

But Donald said: "My personal opinion would have been to stop, but knowing Bob he would have wanted this to go ahead.

"I think Malcolm Speed had said everyone should stay strong in this moment of darkness.

"I think everyone will continue this World Cup but, at the back of their minds, know that a tragedy took place."

Professor Tim Noakes, who was writing a book on cricket coaching with Woolmer, agrees that he would have wanted the World Cup to go ahead.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sib606><DIV class=sihf>606: SHOULD CUP GO ON? </DIV><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>With the shadow of Woolmer's death looming over it, this could be a gloomy period for the game <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR

[Lazie]

RE: Call off World Cup, says Donald

Call off the world cup fi wha? When Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed and died on the field, was the Confederation Cup called off? If this had happen in South Africa, would you be singing the same tune?

[Mosiah]

RE: Call off World Cup, says Donald

<DIV>Foe's death is a little different from a murder, eh?</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>But what about the 1972 Munich Olympics, did they call that off when the Israeli team was almost wiped out by terrorists?</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>This murder is something that the World Cup did not need, that Jamaica did not need. I just we find out exactly what happened and that it was not a result of bad planning security-wise.</DIV>

[Lazie]

RE: Call off World Cup, says Donald

Mosiah (3/23/2007)<DIV>Foe's death is a little different from a murder, eh?</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>But what about the 1972 Munich Olympics, did they call that off when the Israeli team was almost wiped out by terrorists?</DIV><DIV></DIV><DIV>This murder is something that the World Cup did not need, that Jamaica did not need. I just we find out exactly what happened and that it was not a result of bad planning security-wise.</DIV>

Yes, you're right, there is a difference.

[Peter R]

RE: Call off World Cup, says Donald

If Allan Donald is prepared to compensate for the massive losses that would be incurred...I would MAYBE consider calling it off. As it is plenty of these first round matches played before empty seats...

I even feel that they allowed school kids in free to make it look more well attended than some games were, tho' I have no evidence of that.

On another note, who are the prime suspects? A Pakistani? A bettor? strangulation is one of those crimes motivated bypassion; I enviseage an argument, followed by the physical attack. (tdown)My gut tells me this is a foreigner's dirty work. A yard man wouda jus buss him wid a nine.

pr

[Mosiah]

RE: Call off World Cup, says Donald

Peter R (3/23/2007)On another note, who are the prime suspects? A Pakistani? A bettor? strangulation is one of those crimes motivated bypassion; I enviseage an argument, followed by the physical attack. (tdown)My gut tells me this is a foreigner's dirty work. A yard man wouda jus buss him wid a nine.

pr

Peter! :w00t:

[MdmeX]

RE: Call off World Cup, says Donald

Call off what!! Is this man drinking mad puss ****. After we put ourselves in debt, him expect us to just call off the thing like that.

The 1996 OLY was not called off in Atlanta, even after the bombing!