But Blackburn's David Bentley, 22, has paid for his refusal to play for the England Under-21s at this summer's European Championship, by being excluded from the squad.

BBC: Campbell out of England friendly

They cite loss of revenue from a India's breach of a marketing contract, New Zealand's refusal to play in Kenya and a similar boycott of Zimbabwe by England.

BBC: ICC to talk money

But Pakistan's refusal to play appears to be a tit-for-tat response after India said they would not take part in a Test and one-day series in Pakistan in May.

BBC: Pakistan withdraw from Asia Cup

Blamed for our very refusal to play a bigger role in the civic realm apart from once every lustrum or so milling around the polling booth with the rest of the extras.

BBC: A Point of View: Party activists should escape the herd

The FA Cup competition, which was supposed to be played in November 2001, has already been postponed on several occasion due to refusal of the clubs to play.

BBC: Clubs boycott Sierra Leone FA Cup

But even with all its shortcomings and sentimental fudges, there is something about McCarthy's refusal to lie down and play the victim that gives it a comic edge.

CNN: Review: Melissa McCarthy steals 'Identity Thief'

His fears were passed on to Downing Street with the Foreign Office warning that the press could play up any refusal to help.

BBC: NEWS | UK | UK Politics | Pandas 'sparked diplomatic fears'

It remains to be seen whether the refusal of Syriza or the Five-Star Movement to play a constructive role in the government of their crisis-hit countries will diminish their effectiveness as an electoral force.

WSJ: A Protest Vote Is Still Only a Protest Vote

The French have taken to using le fair-play in sport, presumably because (as their coach's refusal to shake hands with his opposite number after losing to South Africa suggested) their own culture finds the concept rather difficult.

ECONOMIST: Bad language