JOHANNESBURG, Feb 14: The ICC decided on Friday not to charge Zimbabwe players Andy Flower and Henry Olonga with bringing the game into disrepute during a World Cup game in Harare.

Ex-captain Flower and pace bowler Olonga spoke out against President Robert Mugabe’s government and its human rights record moments before Zimbabwe’s tournament opener against Namibia on Monday.

Both players also wore black armbands during the match and said they would sport them throughout the Cup.

The ICC’s tournament technical committee said it had considered the matter after the Zimbabwe Cricket Union argued that the actions of the players had brought the game into disrepute.

The committee stressed that cricket should not be used as a “platform on which to advance political agendas” but decided not to charge the pair.—Reuters