In its current avatar, the international cricket body doesn’t have any jurisdiction over incidents like Dean Jones’ ‘racial’ comment.
MUMBAI: Taking a cue from FIFA’s no-nonsense approach towards tackling racial discrimination in football, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is working towards strengthening its anti-racism code.
The ICC admits that it cannot take action against Dean Jones, the commentator and former Australian Test player, who was heard calling South African Muslim batsman Hashim Amla a ‘terrorist’ on air.
“He doesn’t work for us,” Brian Murgatrody said when asked if the ICC can punish Jones. Cricket’s governing body’s spokesperson, however, was quick to condemn the Australian’s comments.
“Dean obviously paid a very heavy price. He lost his job. But it is up to the broadcasters to decide whether they want him on their commentary team or not. It may be difficult for Dean to find an opening on a commentary team for the Champions Trophy,” Murgatrody said.
FIFA’s goal of stamping out racism is backed by strong deterrents, including docking league points and relegating teams whose fans are racially abusive.
The new measures were triggered after Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o threatened to leave the pitch after being abused by Real Zaragoza fans in February this year.
The ICC had a similar wake-up call in December-January this year when South African players were subjected to racially charged remarks during their tour Down Under.
Subsequently, the anti-racism code approved in June 2005 is to be given enough teeth to handle discriminatory statements or acts.
In mid-February, India’s Solicitor General Goolam Vahanvati travelled to Australia and South Africa at the behest of the ICC to report on the situation. “In March I submitted my findings. I spoke to players, including Ricky Ponting and Adam Glichrist,” Vahanvati said.
The ICC’s executive board was quick to set-up a three-man committee - Malcolm Speed, James Sutherland and Gerald Majola - to work towards strengthening it’s anti racism code based on Vahanvati’s recommendations.
They got back to the executive board during a meeting in July in London and will meet again in November in India. Having anti-racism ambassadors like FIFA’s Thierry Henry, Pele, Bobby Charlton, Michel Platini and Jurgen Klinsmann is one of the pro-active measures the ICC is considering.
Majola, the CEO of Cricket South Africa (CSA), said that the type of intense, insulting racial stereotyping that Amla was subjected to has no place in cricket.
Chris Dave of the CSA said that the FIFA model has been closely studied and has been put forward by Majola to make ICC’s code stringent.
In South Africa, Dave vouches that fans who have found to be racially abusive are charged, their photographs pasted at all stadiums and not allowed to enter a playing arena again.
Two years ago former Spanish football coach Luis Aragones was fined 3,000 euros for using racial abuses directed at French striker Thierry Henry to motivate Jose Antonio Reyes.
Similar fines could well be the norm in cricket once the ICC cracks the whip even harder.
“The ICC is very clear about its anti-racism policy and the code has been in place. Now, we are looking at ways to strengthen it,” Murgatroyd said.
Darren Lehmann, the Australian called Sri Lankans ‘black c….’ after being run out at the Gabba.
He received a five-match suspension in 2003. Now, the deterrents will only increase, according to ICC’s promises.
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