Australia batter David Warner on Wednesday (December 7) withdrew his application over the lifting of his lifetime leadership ban, which was imposed on him by Cricket Australia (CA) for his role in the ball-tampering plot.
The southpaw shared a post on Instagram, giving a detailed explanation of his decision.
Warner said that the Review Panel wants to hold a public trial before taking a final call and, thus, he has decided to withdraw the application. The veteran opener also claimed that the Counsel assisting the Review Panel made offensive remarks about him.
However, Warner appreciated the support from Cricket Australia all the way through.
“With the encouragement of administrators and colleagues and in accordance with the rules under the Code of Conduct, on 25 November 2022 submitted an application to Cricket Australia for a modification to my life-time ban from leadership positions in cricket. I did so in good faith on the understanding that regular established procedures under the Code of Conduct would be followed,” wrote Warner in his note.
“I hoped I would be given the opportunity, under the established practice and procedure of the Code of Conduct that is reflected in the amendments, to demonstrate that have satisfied the necessary requirements for a modification to my ban and that I might be permitted to see out the balance of my career without the yoke hanging around my neck and further anguish for my family.”
“In his submissions, Counsel Assisting made offensive and unhelpful comments about me that had absolutely no substantive purpose under the Code of Conduct. Regrettably, the Review Panel acted to the submissions of Cricket Australia and my lawyer and appeared to adopt virtually entirely the position of Counsel Assisting,” he further added.
In the end, David Warner said he has no practical alternative and hence has decided to withdraw his application. “My family is more important to me than cricket,” he wrote.
“Regrettably, I have no practical alternative at this point in time but to withdraw my application. I am not prepared to subject my family or my teammates to further trauma and disruption by accepting a departure from the way in which my application should be dealt with pursuant to the Code of Conduct. Some things are more important than cricket,” Warner concluded.
