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The appeal from Usman Khawaja against the sanction imposed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for wearing a black armband during the first Test match in December between Australia and Pakistan is reportedly being denied. The 37-year-old had worn the black armband to mourn the lives of children lost during the war between Israel and Palestine since October last year.
Initially, Usman Khawaja had planned to wear shoes with the slogans “All lives are equal” and “Freedom is a human right” inscribed on it, at the Optus Stadium in Perth before the first Test match began. The left-handed opening batter had shown off his shoes inscribed with the slogans during a training session, but when Cricket Australia (CA) and the ICC warned him about it being a political message, he dropped the plan before deciding to wear a black armband instead.
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Shortly after, Usman Khawaja spoke to the reporters about being reprimanded for wearing the black armband and said, “The ICC asked me day two (of the Perth Test) what (the black armband) was for, I told them it was for a personal bereavement. I never ever stated it was for anything else. I respect the ICC and all the regulations they have, I will be asking them and contesting them… From my point of view, that consistency hasn’t been done yet. The shoes were for a different matter, I’m happy to say that, but the armband (reprimand) made no sense to me.”
The Sydney Morning Herald reported the latest about the matter on Sunday, January 7, revealing how Usman Khawaja’s appeal against the ICC sanction has been denied. They wrote, “Khawaja’s reprimand for wearing a black armband onto the field during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth will stand after the International Cricket Council rejected his appeal against the sanction, according to a source close to the situation who wished to remain anonymous ahead of any public announcement being made.”
Moreover, the reprimand from the ICC doesn’t carry any penalties, but their regulations prevent cricketers from displaying political, religious, or racial causes in international cricket. The governing body of cricket does allow players to wear black armbands to mark the death of former players, family members, or other significant people with their prior permission.
