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Usman Khawaja has prepared a formal application to Cricket Australia and the International Cricket Council for permission to continue highlighting human rights in the Israel-Gaza conflict.
The opener is facing censure from the ICC after being charged with breaching the world governing body’s clothing and equipment regulations for his black armband protest in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza during the first Test in Perth.
Usman Khawaja bats during day four of the Men’s First Test match between Australia and Pakistan on December 17. He has been charged by the ICC.Credit: Getty
If found guilty, the most severe sanction Khawaja can receive for a first offence is a reprimand, meaning he would be free to play in the Boxing Day Test. Under the ICC’s sanctions, even a fourth offence within 12 months would not incur a suspension, producing instead a fine of 75 per cent of his match fee.
“Usman Khawaja has been charged for breaching Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations, which can be found on the ICC Playing Conditions page. The sanctions for a breach of the regulations are outlined in Appendix 2,” an ICC spokesperson said in a statement sent to this masthead on Thursday night.
“Usman displayed a personal message (arm band) during the 1st Test Match against Pakistan without seeking the prior approval of Cricket Australia and the ICC to display it, as required in the regulations for personal messages. This is a breach under the category of an ‘other breach’ and the sanction for a first offence is a reprimand.”
It came as sources close to CA, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter freely, said Khawaja had already applied to the governing bodies for permission to spread his message at the MCG.
A CA spokesman would only say that discussions were taking place. At the time of publication an ICC spokesman was checking with the cricket council’s operations department to see if an application had been received.
Khawaja flew to Melbourne ahead of his Australian teammates to help launch CA’s Multicultural Action Plan, aimed at making cricket a more inclusive sport, today. The event will give Khawaja another platform to raise awareness about the loss of life in the Israel-Gaza conflict, which is expected to be the focus of the press conference.
At training before the first Test, Khawaja wore shoes with the words “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” written on the sides. Khawaja intended to wear the shoes during the Test but, after a reminder from CA that he would be breaking ICC rules, he switched to the black armband.
Usman Khawaja wearing “All lives are equal” on his shoes during an Australian nets session at the WACA on Tuesday.Credit: Getty Images
Khawaja, the first Muslim to play for Australia, continued to highlight his concerns late on Wednesday by posting an Instagram story with the headline “24,000 civilians, 10,000 children”. It was tagged Gaza Strip with the dateline 7 October – 19 December. The graphic included figures including “52,390 injured” and “1,900,000” displaced.
“There are a lot of kind-hearted people out there,” he wrote. “Nothing worthwhile is easy. History shows we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. But together we can fight for a better future.”
During the Perth Test a banner was displayed using the same slogans Khawaja was banned from wearing on his shoes: “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right”.
The banner was removed a short time after it was unfurled under CA’s wide-ranging terms and conditions of entry, which say ticket holders “will not: wear or otherwise display commercial, political, religious or offensive signage or logos”.
The MCG and SCG, which will host the second and third Tests against Pakistan from Boxing Day and early in the the New Year, confirmed to this masthead that they would adhere to the policy. It will also apply to the West Indies Tests in Adelaide and Brisbane during January.
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