New Zealand's cricket team left for a controversial tour of Zimbabwe on Monday, amid political pressure on the New Zealand government to consider legislation to cancel the tour.
The Black Caps' tour of the southern-African country has come under intense political scrutiny, with New Zealand's government leading an international push to have Zimbabwe banned from the tour schedule due to concerns over human rights abuses under President Robert Mugabe.
However, the government has said it would not introduce urgent legislation proposed by the New Zealand Green Party to prevent national sports teams touring countries that violate human rights.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Martin Snedden told reporters the country had to honour its obligations under the International Cricket Council's (ICC) touring programme.
The ICC said the only reason the tour could be cancelled would be because of security or if the New Zealand government passed legislation preventing the team from going.
NZC would be hit by a minimum ICC fine of $2 million if they cancelled the tour for any other reason.
Snedden said NZC was monitoring the security situation in Zimbabwe.
"We have a pretty careful safety protocol we go through on every tour overseas," Snedden told Radio New Zealand. "We have security people on the ground in Zimbabwe.
"They have been there for a while and we are getting information back there is nothing at the moment to indicate that the tour should not proceed from a safety
REPEATED CALL
Rod Donald the co-leader of the Greens, who proposed the legislation seeking to halt the tour, urged the government again on Monday to reconsider its decision.
"The Government is refusing to pass legislation to stop the Black Caps' tour of Zimbabwe, saying that it is unwilling to undermine New Zealand Cricket's right to be free from government interference," Greens co-leader Rod Donald said in a statement.
"It has already been quite willing to interfere in New Zealand Cricket's business by preventing Zimbabwe's tour to New Zealand in December.
"Why is it that our cricketers' right to play in Zimbabwe is inalienable yet their right to play cricket with the Zimbabwe team in New Zealand is not?," Donald who proposed the legislation said.
The New Zealand government has already said it would not grant visas to the Zimbabwe team for their December tour.
Several members of the squad, including captain Stephen Fleming, are playing cricket in Britain and will join the team in Namibia for a pre-tour training camp.
New Zealand Cricket Players Association chief executive Heath Mills had said previously the team would discuss possible protest action against Mugabe's regime, though Radio New Zealand said Snedden urged them not to do so while in Zimbabwe.
The tour includes two Test matches and a triangular one-day tournament with India.
The first Test in Harare begins on August 7.
