Cricket Australia Confirms Indian Players Were Subjected To Racial Abuse

After a thorough investigation, Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed that the Indian players were racially abused in the third Test of the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar series at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). A historic series that was tightly contested till its final hour, eventually India winning it, was marred with a few ugly and unfortunate incidents in Sydney.

Post stumps on Day 3, the Indian team management lodged a complaint to Match Referee David Boon about two of their pacers – Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj – receiving racial abuses from the crowd in the Pink Test in Sydney.

On Day 4, Mohammed Siraj asked Ajinkya Rahane, India’s stand-in captain for the absent Virat Kohli, to halt the game as the pacer was being constantly subjected to racists remarks by some people in the crowd while fielding at the fine leg boundary. The umpires intervened and the play was stopped for about 10 minutes.

The NSW police officials at the ground then evicted about half a dozen people from the stadium after Siraj, playing in just his second Test, bravely decided to take a stand against the people hurling the racist comments.

Cricket Australia confirms Siraj and Indian players were being abused racially

Cricket Australia in its report to the International Cricket Council (ICC) has confirmed that Mohammed Siraj and other Indian players were being subjected to racial slurs at the SCG. CA says that while the spectators who were caught on camera are not the culprits, however, in a joint investigation with the NSW police they are tracking down the ones who actually hurled insinuating remarks towards the visiting team players.

“CA confirms that members of the Indian cricket team were subjected to racial abuse. CA’s own investigation into the matter remains open, with CCTV footage, ticketing data, and interviews with spectators still being analyzed in an attempt to locate those responsible. Spectators who are found to have breached CA’s Anti-Harassment Code face lengthy bans, further sanctions, and referral to NSW Police,” said Sean Carroll, Cricket Australia Head of Integrity and Security, as quoted by India Today.

“CA’s investigation concluded that the spectators filmed and/or photographed by the media in the Brewongle Stand concourse at the conclusion of the 86th over on day three of the Test did not engage in racist behavior. CA is awaiting confirmation from NSW Police that it has completed its investigation into the matter and will not offer further comment until it is received,” Carroll added.

The governing body also assures that in accordance with Cricket Australia’s zero-tolerance policy against such acts, they will hand out strict bans, possibly life bans, to the guilty spectators.

“As stated at the time of the incident, CA has a zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory behavior in all forms and, as hosts of the Border-Gavaskar series, apologizes to the Indian men’s cricket team,” Carroll further stated.

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