India Suspend Australia Tour

Xavi6

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/7174122.stm

Tour at risk after Harbhajan ban

India have suspended their cricket tour of Australia pending the outcome of an appeal against a three-match ban handed to spin bowler Harbhajan Singh.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has told its players to stay in Sydney rather than travel to Canberra for a tour match on Thursday.

Harbhajan was banned for making a racist remark during their tempestuous defeat to Australia in the second Test.

He was found guilty of breaching the players' code of conduct.

The International Cricket Council held a four-hour hearing after the Test finished on Sunday, finally announcing their verdict deep into the night in Australia.

Australia's players had claimed that Harbhajan called Australia's Andrew Symonds a "monkey" during an on-field incident.

Match referee Mike Procter said he was satisfied Harbhajan had used the word - though neither of the two umpires heard the remarks - and that "he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds' race or ethnic origin".

All-rounder Symonds, 32, is the only non-white player in the Australian side.

The BCCI's statement said: "The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian.

"To vindicate its position, the board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player."

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, who is expecting the tour to continue as scheduled, has proposed a peace meeting between captains Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble to try to resolve the escalating crisis.

And BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla said a decision on when the players would leave Sydney and resume training would be made at a meeting on Tuesday at 0700 local time (2000 GMT Monday).

Earlier, India team manager Chetan Chauhan said he believed Harbhajan had been harshly treated.

"I told the match referee this is wrong. There was no conclusive evidence from the Aussie side," he said.

And BCCI spokesman Ratnakar Shetty told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Harbhajan says he did not say what has been alleged.

"The match referee has made his case based on hearsay. I don't understand how he arrived at his conclusion.

"Sachin Tendulkar also refused to accept that [Harbhajan] said that word."

Harbhajan was accompanied at the hearing by Chauhan, assistant manager Dr MV Sridhar, captain Anil Kumble and Tendulkar.

If he was to lose the appeal he would miss the two remaining Tests in Australia, and one further match.

The 27-year-old has played for India since 1998 and has taken a combined total of almost 450 international wickets in all forms of the game.

He was batting with Tendulkar when the incident took place during Friday's play at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

It prompted Australian captain Ricky Ponting to complain to on-field umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor, who subsequently laid a charge under section 3.3 of the code of conduct.

The section refers to the use of "language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethic origin".

The ICC says it has a zero-tolerance policy towards racism.

Former England captain Tony Greig said a bitter rivalry between Australia and India had developed over recent series, and that players had been warned to be careful about what they said.

Greig told the BBC: "Australians are no angels - you only have to speak to some Indians and some Sri Lankans to know they have dished out plenty themselves.

"That's why India are saying: 'Who are the Australians to talk on this issue?'

"But that's no excuse for what happened and everyone's on notice. This has grown over a period of time."

The third Test between Australia and India is due to begin in Perth on 16 January.

India have reacted to Harbhajan's ban by lodging their own complaint against Australia's Brad Hogg for allegedly making an abusive comment to one of their players, according to some reports.

Harbhajan is the first player punished for a racist remark since South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs was suspended for three matches in January 2007.

He was caught on a stump microphone talking about Pakistan fans.

In 2003, Australia's Darren Lehmann was suspended for five one-day matches after he was found guilty of shouting a "racially-motivated obscenity" in a match against Sri Lanka.

Crazy goings on in over here. Symonds has been subjected to this sort of abuse while touring with the Aussies and now has to put up with it from fellow professionals. It's really disgusting and I'd support the ban handed out, though I was looking forward to going to this week's test in WA.

DMC

Two and in this case, several wrongs still don't make a right.

I watched the game on the TV, and I was astounded by the petty play the Aussies took after Harbhajan was ticked off initially. I mean, of course Harbhajan has been proved guilty, he has had his medicine and thats that, he was wrong. But the Aussies spat the dummy afterwards with their petty appealing and dubious catching.

I see Peter Roebuck, a man I don't normally agree with, has berated the Aussies on this, and has called for Ponting's resignation. It might be the price to keep this tour going.

EDIT: I will also add, that I think the issue with the Indians is really that the series is not being played in the best spirit. Its close to a modern day Bodyline.

Xavi6

DMC wrote: »

Two and in this case, several wrongs still don't make a right.

I watched the game on the TV, and I was astounded by the petty play the Aussies took after Harbhajan was ticked off initially. I mean, of course Harbhajan has been proved guilty, he has had his medicine and thats that, he was wrong. But the Aussies spat the dummy afterwards with their petty appealing and dubious catching.

I see Peter Roebuck, a man I don't normally agree with, has berated the Aussies on this, and has called for Ponting's resignation. It might be the price to keep this tour going.

EDIT: I will also add, that I think the issue with the Indians is really that the series is not being played in the best spirit. Its close to a modern day Bodyline.

No matter what they think about the Aussie sportsmanship there is never a need to resort to racial slurs. As a stand alone offence it's disgusting and should be treated as such.

Rjd2

The entire Aussie team bar Gilchrist are absolute clowns with no idea of fair play. Clarke and Ponting’s behaviour in this test like it has being for the last few years has being absolutely disgusting no wonder the world hate them. I do think the ban was fair though I Singh called Symonds a monkey, Symonds is a pretty unpleasant individual but the stick he has got from India in this series and the previous one day series has being disgraceful.

DMC

Xavi6 wrote: »

No matter what they think about the Aussie sportsmanship there is never a need to resort to racial slurs. As a stand alone offence it's disgusting and should be treated as such.

I totally agree with you. Which is why I think that we have to move on from Harbhajan's racial slur, he's been given the ban and reprimanded, the Aussies won't have to see him again this tour.

So lets move onto the next issue, which are the other unsavoury aspects of this match. The match referee (and its Mike Proctor again folks!) left the racial slur matter until after the match, but in the meantime, not content with leaving it there, the Aussies went on with the appealing and barracking of the umpires. Their behaviour at the end of the match, not shaking hands with the Indians on the field straight away, leaves a lot to be desired.

Washout

I watched alot of this test match and found some of the antics utterly disgraceful.

Harbhajan definetly deserves punishment for the slur he made. but i think they dealt with it the correct way by waiting till the game was over.

India have a right to appeal as Harbhajan deies he made the claim and the umpires didnt hear it..all witnesses were autralian also. and of course they are going tho stand behind their man.

I personally dont believe Symonds would make such a claim.

whatever about the unpiring mistakes the one thing that really angered me was the way Ponting and Clarke both claimed catches which technology proved werent and even the umpires were not sure.

replays show that clark grounded the ball and then ponting goes ahead and raises the finger when asked by Benson. and Benson accepts his word for it.

Sunil Gavasker made the comment that how can you trust the integrity of a man who doesnt give himself out when he clearly edges the ball and doesnt walk, as ponting did when he edged leg side delivery and was given not out. and then you put it in his hands to give an opposing player out. as far as i am aware if an umpire is unsure of a catch he can refer it to the third umpire. why trust the fielding team.

anoher thing that got to me was the way Hogg started cursing his luck openley when an appeal was turned down. surely this is the same as a batsman showing decent to a decision yet ti goes unpunished.

Memnoch

This thread shocks me more than the goings on in Australia right now. And just goes to show how one-sided and biased the potrayal of the situation is by British media, especially sky news.

Here is a fact for you guys... There is absolutely ZERO evidence of Harbhajan having made that particular remark against Symonds. The Umpires did not hear anything, and there is no video or audio evidence either. It is basically the word of the Australians vs the word of the Indians.

Mike procter has taken the word of the Australian players who have through their actions in this match PROVEN themselves to have no integrity whatsoever and are willing to lie if it suits them over that of Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh. This is an absolute disgrace as is the behaviour of the Australian team throughout the match. I hope India cancel the series and go home. Better to do that than play with this cheating scum of an Australian team.

I think it's also brilliant that Symonds was awarded Man of the Match. Yes, lets give the player who has displayed zero sportsmanship, and no regard for the integrity of the sport of cricket the man of the match award. If this is what cricket has come to today then it deserves to die as a sport.

And now teams can get players they don't like or are scared of banned simply by ganging up and making unbacked accusations?

Ponting is a disgrace. I will never watch a match that Australia play in as long as he remains captain.

DMC

Earlier in the day, I had read/seen that Mark Benson had initially approached Symonds, Harbhajan and Kumble after the remarks were exchanged, he was seen to cover his mouth when talking to them, so the cameras wouldn't lip read, and it went from there.

But now, it appears that this wasn't necessarily the case, and therefore, it appears he didn't get a fair trial.

What also concerns me, will this turn into a solo run by the BCCI on a point of power?

Memnoch

DMC wrote: »

Earlier in the day, I had read/seen that Mark Benson had initially approached Symonds, Harbhajan and Kumble after the remarks were exchanged, he was seen to cover his mouth when talking to them, so the cameras wouldn't lip read, and it went from there.

But now, it appears that this wasn't necessarily the case, and therefore, it appears he didn't get a fair trial.

What also concerns me, will this turn into a solo run by the BCCI on a point of power?

This is not a point of power. We talk about racism... well look at the facts...

Mike Procter passed a harsh judgement against Singh without any real evidence on the word of the Australian players.

Therefore the word of the Australians is more valuable than the word of the Indians... now tell me... who is being racist?

Why should the BCCI tolerate such a humiliating and false accusation against Harbhajan? I mean already even despite the contention many people here and around the world seem to think that he got what he deserve because the media have not at all presented his side of the arguement.

Imagine if the BCCI did not make an issue of this? Then Harbahajan would have basically been labelled a racist without ANY concrete evidence. This is a matter of principal and I don't care how powerful they are. Even if they were the Bangladeshi cricket board, their actions should have been any different.

Such blatent injustice in the face of the lies and poor sportsmanship of the Australian team should not be allowed to pass unchallenged.

kyp_durron

Memnoch wrote: »

Here is a fact for you guys... There is absolutely ZERO evidence of Harbhajan having made that particular remark against Symonds. The Umpires did not hear anything, and there is no video or audio evidence either. It is basically the word of the Australians vs the word of the Indians.

How the hell can you ban someone with no evidence? That just doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Seems to me like Ponting had the Umpires under his thumb.

ArmaniJeanss

Is there a clash of cultures here, in that what is perceived as seriously racist in one culture may be considered only a mild insult in another?

e.g., Australian cricketers are highly adept at sledging opponents, often with sexist comments about what they did to your wife last night etc. In some cultures this would be considered the most grievous insult possible, far worse than a racist comment. However in cricket its considered OK, but racist comments are a no-no.

How bad is 'monkey' though? It would obviously be considered totally taboo in Ireland or England, almost as bad as Wog or the N-Word, but perhaps in India it is just a mild insult (equivalent of say Frog or Paddy, which few French or Irish would get upset by).

And the Paki word is used by Australian friends of mine as an abbreviation of Pakistani without them being aware of any racist overtone, in much the same way we'd use Scots as an abbreviation for Scottish.

Washout

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Is there a clash of cultures here, in that what is perceived as seriously racist in one culture may be considered only a mild insult in another?

e.g., Australian cricketers are highly adept at sledging opponents, often with sexist comments about what they did to your wife last night etc. In some cultures this would be considered the most grievous insult possible, far worse than a racist comment. However in cricket its considered OK, but racist comments are a no-no.

How bad is 'monkey' though? It would obviously be considered totally taboo in Ireland or England, almost as bad as Wog or the N-Word, but perhaps in India it is just a mild insult (equivalent of say Frog or Paddy, which few French or Irish would get upset by).

And the Paki word is used by Australian friends of mine as an abbreviation of Pakistani without them being aware of any racist overtone, in much the same way we'd use Scots as an abbreviation for Scottish.

This goes back to the one day tour of india that australia were just on. I think in Mumbaii the crowd had banners calling Symonds a monkey and it that respect it was racist because the cowd were singling out a player based on his race.

As i am of indian descent as well, the one thing I always thought was that the Indian people would not stoop to the level of racisim, as they have experienced alot of it themselves over the course of history. I found this to be utterly disgraceful.

when in spain monkey chants against colored players can be classified as racisism why cant the word monkey be also considered to be racisist.

One thing I feel about the aussie team is they take sledging way to far. they go into the depth of a players personal life almost to he point of trying to get opposing players to react as Harbhajan has allegedly done so.

whilst there is no excuse for racist behaviour, and we only have the austrailian players word for it then also sledging to the level that the aussie team do also needs to be cited.

Alot of the experts view is how can you take the word of a team on this matter if they were disshonest on the field about the way they played the game.

Symonds admited in an interview at the close of play , on the day, that he edged the ball and decided not to walk.
Ponting gave a player out when he wasnt. albeit he was taking the word of Clarke but Clarke had to know that he grounded the ball.

The only people who cannot see anything wrong with what they did is the aussie team...even the austrlian media and public have expressed thier views opposing those of the thinking of the aussie team.

here are a couple of incidents on youtube

http://youtube.com/watch?v=BcbJOkeyKBA&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-xz1T9-x6eY&feature=related

DMC

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

e.g., Australian cricketers are highly adept at sledging opponents, often with sexist comments about what they did to your wife last night etc. In some cultures this would be considered the most grievous insult possible, far worse than a racist comment. However in cricket its considered OK, but racist comments are a no-no.

Racial slurs are of course abhorrent. That aside, with other types of sledging that goes on, they [Australia] can give it, but they can't take it.

The lowest of the low was the alleged sledge on Chris Cairns, former NZ all rounder. His sister died in a level crossing accident, and since then, he has fronted campaigns about safety at level crossings. When he next appeared to bat in Australia, it is said that he was barracked by the slips with "choo choo...." It has been denied by Steve Waugh in his autobiography, but afaik, Chris Cairns has never denied or said it happened.

dereko1969

this is a tough one all round.
i just don't think that whatever about his disgraceful decision not to walk when he edged it that symonds would make up the claim that singh called him a monkey. he hasn't previously made such allegations and didn't react to this outrageous behaviour by indian fans
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7050264.stm
however and in no way wanting to defend a racist slur i think the intensity of the australian sledging and lack of sportsmanship has led to this, i think this has been bubbling up between india and australia for a few years and has now come to the boil. sreesanth engaged in equally dodgy behaviour last year
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7025726.stm
i just think the amount of appealing and personal sledging has gone way too far.
the fact that hogg is now being called up on something days after the event is also a worry and the icc seem to have made a ballsup yet again.

ArmaniJeanss

Harbhajan Singh cleared of racist abuse.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/7212634.stm

'an appeal hearing ruled there was not enough evidence to convict Harbhajan of racial abuse but charged him with using abusive language.

Harbhajan pleaded guilty and was fined half his match fee and is free to play. '