Cricket Australia clears six spectators but confirms Team India was racially abused

Sydney, Jan 27: Cricket Australia (CA) on Wednesday confirmed Team India’s players were subjected to racial abuse during the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground but cleared six spectators who were taken from their seats and questioned by police at the ground.

 

CA, in an official release, had submitted the report to the ICC, looking into crowd behaviour at the SCG where Indian players were subject to racial abuse from the stands.

 

 

 

"CA confirms that members of the Indian cricket team were subjected to racial abuse," Sean Carroll, CA's Head of Integrity and Security, said. "CA's own investigation into the matter remains open, with CCTV footage, ticketing data and interviews with spectators still being analysed in an attempt to locate those responsibly. Spectators who are found to have breached CA's Anti-Harassment Code face lengthy bans, further sanctions and referral to NSW Police."

 

On the third and fourth day of the Sydney Test, the play was halted due to as fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were racially abused. When Bumrah was about to bowl the 86th over of Australia’s second innings, Siraj went up toward stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane, and umpires Paul Reiffel and Paul Wilson. The 26-year-old complained of the racial abuse while he was fielding in front of the Brewongle and Clive Churchill stands - the same area of the ground from where the racist chants were made on Saturday.

 

While all this was happening, all the players - including the Australian batsmen Tim Paine and Cameron Green stood together at the middle of the ground. The umpires took note of it and stated all of this to authorities. The play was halted. It only resumed after police evicted six people from the ground for their actions.

 

CA has now insisted that those six did not engage in racial behaviour and that the board was still on the lookout for the real culprits through their investigation and that of the NSW Police.

 

"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 behaviour. 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," he said.

 

"As stated at the time of the incident, CA has a zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory behaviour in all forms and, as hosts of the Border-Gavaskar series, apologises to the Indian men's cricket team," Carroll added.

 

India off-spinner R. Ashwin said during the third Test that the team had been insulted by Sydney spectators in the past but the racial abuse had crossed a line. "It is definitely not acceptable in this day and age. This must definitely be dealt with iron-fist and we must make sure it doesn’t happen again," the bowler said.

 

A man was banned from attending cricket matches in New Zealand for two years after being found guilty of abusing England fast bowler Jofra Archer during a 2019 tour.