Students debate the issues involved when politics influence the cricket World Cup.

Learning aims

• Case studies of politics influencing the cricket World Cup

• Debate the issue of politics and sport

Main activity

Whole-class debate:
This house believes that politics should be kept out of the cricket World Cup.

Plenary
Recap on the main teaching points and the chair announces the outcome of the vote.

Teachers' Background

• England are supposed to play in Zimbabwe on 13 February during the cricket World Cup.

• Most of the games in the World Cup are being played in South Africa, but six are being played in Zimbabwe and two in Kenya.

• Lots of people think they shouldn't play that game because there are big problems in Zimbabwe and it would be wrong to play cricket there.

The main reasons are:

• Financial - England's cricket bosses would have to pay compensation if the game was called off. The Zimbabwe team might also refuse to play their games in England later this year, costing loads of money in ticket refunds.

• Cricketing - If England didn't play they will be unable to get any points from the match, a match they would expect to win. That would make it much harder to qualify for the next round.

• Cricket bosses also don't see why they should be stopped from playing while lots of English businesses are still allowed to trade in Zimbabwe.