Former fast bowler Henry Olonga has backed calls for England to cancel next year's tour to Zimbabwe.
Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the England team's sponsors, Vodafone, believes it would be wrong to make the tour with the Mugabe regime still in place.
"I think he's spot on. The situation in Zimbabwe has not improved. The common citizens are living in abject poverty.
"It would be wrong for any country to go touring in Zimbabwe at the moment," Olonga told the BBC Sport website.
He hit the headlines during the World Cup earlier this year when he and team-mate Andy Flower wore black armbands during Zimbabwe's opening match.
They said they were mourning "the death of democracy" in their country.
England refused to play in Zimbabwe during the World Cup, forfeiting points which ultimately led to their failure to progress beyond the first round.
But David Morgan, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, later gave what was described as a qualified assurance to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union that the 2004 tour would take place.
MacLaurin, who was Morgan's predecessor as chairman, said, however, that the tour would damage the image of his company and the England team.
"We do not want to support a side that goes and plays in a country with the sort of regime that is reviled, not just by this company, but by many in the country," he commented.
Olonga retired from international cricket following the World Cup and is currently living and working in England.
Olonga staged a personal protest during the World Cup
"I don't know how much Vodafone's sponsorship is worth, but I suppose the ECB will be in a bit of a quandary now," he said.
"The English and Australian governments - and the United States - have been very up front and vocal in their disapproval of the regime in Zimbabwe, but I think more can be done.
"Opportunities like this are absolutely perfect to illustrate how strongly those governments feel.
"Obviously the government doesn't have the jurisdiction over whether the cricket team goes or not. But at some point, they've got to streamline and be on the same page."
Des Wilson, chairman of the ECB's Corporate Affairs Committee, told the BBC that Vodafone's view would be taken into account.
"The tour is still 12 months away - so we feel we've got a little bit of time left.
"We want to hear what emerges from the Commonwealth heads conference in December. We will take further advice in the New Year and then we'll decide whether we can proceed.
"We should take the decision calmly, on a well-informed basis and at the right time."
Olonga & Flowers statement...
It is a great honour for us to take the field today to play for Zimbabwe in the World Cup.
We feel privileged and proud to have been able to represent our country.
We are, however, deeply distressed about what is taking place in Zimbabwe in the midst of the World Cup and do not feel that we can take the field without indicating our feelings in a dignified manner and in keeping with the spirit of cricket.
We cannot in good conscience take to the field and ignore the fact that millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed.
We are aware that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans may even die in the coming months through a combination of starvation, poverty and Aids.
We are aware that many people have been unjustly imprisoned and tortured simply for expressing their opinions about what is happening in the country.
We have heard a torrent of racist hate speech directed at minority groups.
We are aware that thousands of Zimbabweans are routinely denied their right to freedom of expression.
We are aware that people have been murdered, raped, beaten and had their homes destroyed because of their beliefs and that many of those responsible have not been prosecuted.
We are also aware that many patriotic Zimbabweans oppose us even playing in the World Cup because of what is happening.
It is impossible to ignore what is happening in Zimbabwe. Although we are just professional cricketers, we do have a conscience and feelings.
We believe that if we remain silent that will be taken as a sign that either we do not care or we condone what is happening in Zimbabwe.
We believe that it is important to stand up for what is right.
We have struggled to think of an action that would be appropriate and that would not demean the game we love so much.
We have decided that we should act alone without other members of the team being involved because our decision is deeply personal and we did not want to use our senior status to unfairly influence more junior members of the squad.
We would like to stress that we greatly respect the ICC and are grateful for all the hard work it has done in bringing the World Cup to Zimbabwe.
In all the circumstances, we have decided that we will each wear a black armband for the duration of the World Cup.
In doing so we are mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe.
In doing so we are making a silent plea to those responsible to stop the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe.
In doing so we pray that our small action may help to restore sanity and dignity to our nation.
Lord MacLaurin, chairman of the England team's sponsors, Vodafone, believes it would be wrong to make the tour with the Mugabe regime still in place.
"I think he's spot on. The situation in Zimbabwe has not improved. The common citizens are living in abject poverty.
"It would be wrong for any country to go touring in Zimbabwe at the moment," Olonga told the BBC Sport website.
He hit the headlines during the World Cup earlier this year when he and team-mate Andy Flower wore black armbands during Zimbabwe's opening match.
They said they were mourning "the death of democracy" in their country.
England refused to play in Zimbabwe during the World Cup, forfeiting points which ultimately led to their failure to progress beyond the first round.
But David Morgan, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, later gave what was described as a qualified assurance to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union that the 2004 tour would take place.
MacLaurin, who was Morgan's predecessor as chairman, said, however, that the tour would damage the image of his company and the England team.
"We do not want to support a side that goes and plays in a country with the sort of regime that is reviled, not just by this company, but by many in the country," he commented.
Olonga retired from international cricket following the World Cup and is currently living and working in England.
Olonga staged a personal protest during the World Cup
"I don't know how much Vodafone's sponsorship is worth, but I suppose the ECB will be in a bit of a quandary now," he said.
"The English and Australian governments - and the United States - have been very up front and vocal in their disapproval of the regime in Zimbabwe, but I think more can be done.
"Opportunities like this are absolutely perfect to illustrate how strongly those governments feel.
"Obviously the government doesn't have the jurisdiction over whether the cricket team goes or not. But at some point, they've got to streamline and be on the same page."
Des Wilson, chairman of the ECB's Corporate Affairs Committee, told the BBC that Vodafone's view would be taken into account.
"The tour is still 12 months away - so we feel we've got a little bit of time left.
"We want to hear what emerges from the Commonwealth heads conference in December. We will take further advice in the New Year and then we'll decide whether we can proceed.
"We should take the decision calmly, on a well-informed basis and at the right time."
Olonga & Flowers statement...
It is a great honour for us to take the field today to play for Zimbabwe in the World Cup.
We feel privileged and proud to have been able to represent our country.
We are, however, deeply distressed about what is taking place in Zimbabwe in the midst of the World Cup and do not feel that we can take the field without indicating our feelings in a dignified manner and in keeping with the spirit of cricket.
We cannot in good conscience take to the field and ignore the fact that millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed.
We are aware that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans may even die in the coming months through a combination of starvation, poverty and Aids.
We are aware that many people have been unjustly imprisoned and tortured simply for expressing their opinions about what is happening in the country.
We have heard a torrent of racist hate speech directed at minority groups.
We are aware that thousands of Zimbabweans are routinely denied their right to freedom of expression.
We are aware that people have been murdered, raped, beaten and had their homes destroyed because of their beliefs and that many of those responsible have not been prosecuted.
We are also aware that many patriotic Zimbabweans oppose us even playing in the World Cup because of what is happening.
It is impossible to ignore what is happening in Zimbabwe. Although we are just professional cricketers, we do have a conscience and feelings.
We believe that if we remain silent that will be taken as a sign that either we do not care or we condone what is happening in Zimbabwe.
We believe that it is important to stand up for what is right.
We have struggled to think of an action that would be appropriate and that would not demean the game we love so much.
We have decided that we should act alone without other members of the team being involved because our decision is deeply personal and we did not want to use our senior status to unfairly influence more junior members of the squad.
We would like to stress that we greatly respect the ICC and are grateful for all the hard work it has done in bringing the World Cup to Zimbabwe.
In all the circumstances, we have decided that we will each wear a black armband for the duration of the World Cup.
In doing so we are mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe.
In doing so we are making a silent plea to those responsible to stop the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe.
In doing so we pray that our small action may help to restore sanity and dignity to our nation.
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