Cricket Australia (CA) has offered an unreserved apology over the serious matter of fans in the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) hurling racial abuses towards Indian players on the third and fourth day of the ongoing third Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series.
The play was halted for a few minutes on the fourth day of the third Test between India and Australia after the visiting players complained of abuse from the crowd on Sunday. It was a day after a drunk spectator at the SCG allegedly directed racial abuse at Indian players Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj.
"Cricket Australia condemns in the strongest terms possible all discriminatory behavior. As series hosts, we unreservedly apologize to our friends in the Indian cricket team and assure them we will prosecute the matter to its fullest extent,” said Sean Carroll, CA's Head of Integrity and Security.
AUS v IND 2020-21: Cricket fraternity upset over racial abuse from Australian spectators
The CA also tweeted their apology with a message reading, “Cricket Australia has reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory behavior in all forms following the alleged racial abuse of members of the Indian cricket squad by a section of the crowd at the SCG yesterday.”
During the second session of the fourth day, Siraj complained of abuse from the crowd while standing at the square leg boundary and the Indian team huddled around him. This came after he was hit for two sixes in an over by Cameron Green.
This prompted the security personnel to enter the stands and look for the mischief monger before a group of people was asked to leave the stands.
"If you engage in racist abuse, you are not welcome in Australian cricket. CA is awaiting the outcome of the International Cricket Council's investigation into the matter reported at the SCG on Saturday," Carroll said.
"Once those responsible are identified, CA will take the strongest measures possible under our Anti-Harassment Code, including lengthy bans, further sanctions, and referral to NSW Police," he added.
NSW Venues Chief Executive Kerrie Mather said CCTV footage was being examined to identify the miscreants.
“We are taking this extremely seriously. If those involved are identified, they will be banned from the SGC and all Venues NSW properties under our act," she said.
The Indians were not amused by the unsavory incident involving their players before those responsible for it were evicted from the stands. It came to light after Siraj, who made his debut at the MCG in the second Test, walked upto captain Ajinkya Rahane and the on-field umpires and complained to them about what he was being subjected to in the same area behind him on Saturday.
Rahane was seen pointing at one section of the stands while talking to the umpires even as the security officers got involved.
On the third day of the third Test match, Siraj was allegedly called a ‘monkey’ by a drunk spectator in one of the stands. On Saturday, the abuses were directed at the Indian duo while they were fielding during the Australian second innings.
Meanwhile, Australia has set India a target of 407 runs after declaring their second innings at 312/6.
(PTI inputs)
