Khawaja accuses ICC of double standards over Gaza support

26 December 2023 10:06 am - 19 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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MELBOURNE, Dec 26 (Reuters) - Australia opener Usman Khawaja has again accused the International Cricket Council (ICC) of double standards after being refused permission to display a dove of peace on his bat during the Boxing Day test.

The Pakistan-born Khawaja, who has been keen to show his support for the people of Gaza during the ongoing conflict in the enclave, was reprimanded for wearing a black armband in the first test against Pakistan in Perth earlier this month.

He had originally intended to show his support by writing the messages "Freedom is a human right" and "All lives are equal" on his boots in the colours of the Palestinian flag but that gesture also fell foul of ICC regulations.

Khawaja had worked with Cricket Australia on a new way to show his support by having the dove on his bat accompanied by the message "01: UDHR" in a reference to the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

According to The Australian newspaper, the ICC also refused to allow him to display the message.

There was no immediate reply to a request for comment on the matter from the ICC.

In a video on Instagram late on the eve of the second test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Khawaja posted pictures of other international players with religious symbols and messages on their bats.

"Merry Christmas everybody, sometimes you just gotta laugh ... #inconsistent #doublestandards," he wrote underneath.

The ICC Code of Conduct forbids players wearing, displaying or conveying messages through arm bands or other items on clothing or equipment without prior approval, especially for "political, religious or racial" causes.

Israel's ongoing assault on Gaza in response to the deadly Oct. 7 cross-border attacks by Hamas has killed at least 20,700 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said on Monday that the team were sympathetic to Khawaja's desire to show his support to the people of Gaza.

"I don't know the ins and outs of the application, but I think it is pretty vanilla, a dove," he told reporters.

"We really support Uzzy, I think he's standing up for what he believes and I think he's doing it really respectfully,” he said.

"He can hold his head high the way he's gone about it, but there's rules in place, so I believe the ICC have said they're not going to approve that. They make up the rules and you've got to accept it."

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Comments - 19

Every Life Is Precious Tuesday, 26 December 2023 10:56 AM

I guess rules are put in place and need to be followed, he could go out in public and protest peacefully with the many others that have been protesting through the months since the war started.

Hassan , martial art instructor , Colombo Tuesday, 26 December 2023 12:20 PM

Ohi, suppose it was China that was massacring the women and children and not Israel, then ICC would immediately suspend its rules and it would even encourage players to wear black armband. This is how the whites rule the world, every Sri Lankan would agree to my point except the dark skin Christians who have no choice but to live their whole life in denial and support the whites.

Rules needs to be followed Wednesday, 27 December 2023 11:17 AM

Don't guess. You are correct rules needs to be followed. More precisely, rules needs to be followed not just by the players but also the ICC fairly

Bandu Tuesday, 26 December 2023 11:38 AM

Let us play cricket for crickets sake. May be armbands etc for a national leader former cricketer family member ok but the game will lose focus if any one or everyone is allowed to bring in personal or contentious issues. There are enough forums where you can display your views.

Sokrates Tuesday, 26 December 2023 12:33 PM

Politics, religion and racism have no place in sport. When a country acts barbarically, like Russia, it is incompatible with peace in sport and they must be excluded. This could also happen with Israel if there is a majority for it. But apart from that: Intelligent peoples don't play cricket.

Onlooker Tuesday, 26 December 2023 03:54 PM

So kindly say which sport is played by these "Intelligent peoples." Thanks. Or is it that intelligent people do not take part in sports,may be they take to politics.

Sammy Tuesday, 26 December 2023 01:22 PM

The dove represents peace for everyone and not a selected lot. If this is not allowed, so should black lives matter guard.

Ram Tuesday, 26 December 2023 02:57 PM

I am no supporter of Khawaja. It is strange that he is unaware that ICC always engages in double standards and that is in the ICC moto.

Ram Tuesday, 26 December 2023 02:59 PM

Khawaja must understand that ICC is a racist organisation and practices racism on small countries

Sokrates Tuesday, 26 December 2023 04:47 PM

@ Hassan, the marterial art man. Your behavior is exactly what is not welcome in sport, namely politics and racism. What does white skin have to do with whether someone is for or against war, what does skin color have to do with religion? You are a misguided person who divides the world into good and evil based on the colour of the skin. Or did you ever get your nose smashed in by a white man at a martial arts competition?

SLEx Tuesday, 26 December 2023 10:39 PM

I don't think his issue is not being able to show his support for Palestine. His issue is the double standards when it comes to certain movements like BLM and LGBTQ are allowed to be shown support but not Palestine. So ICC needs to either ban it completely or allow it. Currently they cherry pick and allow western causes to be supported.

Well said Wednesday, 27 December 2023 11:11 AM

Well said.

MELVILLE PERERA Wednesday, 27 December 2023 08:53 AM

well done Khawaja a classic example where more than peace moves tolerance too must be exercised a fantastic message to the mass murdering leaders - UNCLE SAM went one better. Who said MERRY CHRISTMAS to each other first -JOE BIDEN or that BABARIC HUMAN LIVES SLAUGHTERER "BEN N" His name stinks

Mohamed Adham Wednesday, 27 December 2023 10:25 AM

Rules are there to be respected and followed, but, it should be CONSISTENTLY applied for EVERYONE. Why is Maharaj ( South Africa ) who displays an OM sign ( Hindu )on his bat and Labuschange ( Australian ) has a Cross sign and a verse of the Bible on his Bat, not sanctioned ? The ICC is controlled by the racists in the cash rich BCCI, so no surprises there.

Dr Balasuria Wednesday, 27 December 2023 12:01 PM

@ Sokrates, obviously you have serious mental psychosis, shocking you are being treated like a normal person and allowed to comment. By any medical standards you should have been “sectioned” long time ago, how you are free ?

Kill for your boss Wednesday, 27 December 2023 01:49 PM

The crux of the matter here is two sections of population with misguided belief of a boss at top advising them to kill the rest who don't believe in him. Two sides of same coin.

Tilak Wednesday, 27 December 2023 03:13 PM

Dr.Balasuria- are you a mental health specialist

Pradeep Wednesday, 27 December 2023 03:15 PM

Why doesn't protest against his home country Pakistan chasing away Afghan refugees

Gamini Wednesday, 27 December 2023 03:18 PM

Be thankful that the Aussies have given you a chance to represent their national team. If you want a play a game, first know the rules

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Khawaja accuses ICC of double standards over Gaza support

Comments - 19

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