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Taufel not scared of going to Pakistan
Taufel is set to stand in the this month's Asia Cup and will leave for Pakistan next week.
- Press Trust of India
- Updated: June 22, 2008 05:27 PM IST
Read Time:2 min
Melbourne:
Taufel is set to stand in the this month's Asia Cup and will leave for Pakistan next week. The three-time winner of the ICC's Umpire of the Year award says he has never felt unsafe anywhere in the world and Pakistan is no exception.
"I've never felt threatened or unsafe umpiring anywhere in the world but I want to make sure all the security arrangements are in place," he told 'The Australian'.
However, being fearless has not stopped Taufel from seeking ICC's report on the security situation in Pakistan.
"I've asked for a safety and security report from the ICC but I still haven't received it," he revealed. And Taufel said the report has to be of an "extreme nature" to force him to pull out.
However, the celebrated umpire's views are not shared by Federation of International Cricketers' Association chief Tim May, who claims "absolutely nothing" has changed since Australia postponed its March-April tour there to next year.
May, privy to the confidential ICC security report, said there are "inherent risks of holding such an event (the Champions Trophy) in Pakistan in a such landscape of unrest and volatility and opposition to Western countries." "FICA is not alone in its concern regarding holding this event in Pakistan, compounded by the timing of the event in terms of the religious celebration of Ramadan and anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York," he added.
Australian cricketers may be in two minds on whether to play the Champions Trophy in Pakistan due to their never-ending security concerns but world's numero uno umpire Simon Taufel, who also happens to be an Aussie, says only an "extreme" threat to life can stop him from going there and doing his job.Taufel is set to stand in the this month's Asia Cup and will leave for Pakistan next week. The three-time winner of the ICC's Umpire of the Year award says he has never felt unsafe anywhere in the world and Pakistan is no exception.
"I've never felt threatened or unsafe umpiring anywhere in the world but I want to make sure all the security arrangements are in place," he told 'The Australian'.
However, being fearless has not stopped Taufel from seeking ICC's report on the security situation in Pakistan.
"I've asked for a safety and security report from the ICC but I still haven't received it," he revealed. And Taufel said the report has to be of an "extreme nature" to force him to pull out.
However, the celebrated umpire's views are not shared by Federation of International Cricketers' Association chief Tim May, who claims "absolutely nothing" has changed since Australia postponed its March-April tour there to next year.
May, privy to the confidential ICC security report, said there are "inherent risks of holding such an event (the Champions Trophy) in Pakistan in a such landscape of unrest and volatility and opposition to Western countries." "FICA is not alone in its concern regarding holding this event in Pakistan, compounded by the timing of the event in terms of the religious celebration of Ramadan and anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York," he added.
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