Craven attacks on Sportmen

Craven attacks on sportsmen on 2 March 2009 should be strongly condemned. Such shameful acts of attacking sportsmen or for that matter any civilians must be brought to justice. No matter what it takes, the perpetrators must be punished.

Its an act of cowardly attack, where the desire is not only attacking the cricketers but getting world wide attention is of equal significance. Six of Srilankan cricketers were injured & will have unforgettable scars itched in their mind. More than the physical damage that has happened to these cricketer, the mental damage to the psyche is way way deep.

So far Pakistan administrators, politicians have always used the fact that no sports person has ever been attacked. Just to prove them how wrong they were, terrorist have carried out this sinister act. It was presence of mind of these cricketers & the bus driver which had helped them get away from what could have been far more deathly attack.

But question must be asked about the security. What kind of arrangement is made, especially in a country or region where such attacks are becoming more of chronic nowadays?
What was the level of security provided to the players? Players are ambassadors of their country & come to the foreign land with all the trust on their security arrangement of local government?
Will such lapse would happen if any of the politician or diplomat is travelling to any of the country. I reckon not.....

ICC, the respective board and probably unbiased third party agency should do the security assessment to make sure, it is absolutely safe to carry out a series or a tournament. ICC can not just leave it to the respective boards. Although the concerned country government should make sure the best security levels for the players safety, it is also job of governing body of World cricket to make sure, they have vetted the security arrangements. Such attacks would become a good weapon for the terrorists if not corrected now.
Every time terrorist can come up with new ideas of petrify people, why we cant think one step ahead of it. Why always we wait till some drastic acts take place. Some tough questions have to be answered. Its not only the fault of local police or local security. Its much broader than that.

Will the Pakistan team ever be given similar welcome in other countries as they used to get?
What will be the message Pakistan team can give when they travel to other countries?

It might take ages to get rid of these memories of such spineless acts or perhaps.... it might never.