West Indies player Shannon Gabriel has apologised to Joe Root for their confrontation in the third Test but says he did not use any homophobic language. Root was picked up by stump microphones saying, “Don’t use it as abuse. There is nothing wrong with being gay.”
West Indies player Shannon Gabriel has apologised to Joe Root for their confrontation in the third Test but says he did not use any homophobic language. Root was picked up by stump microphones saying, “Don’t use it as abuse. There is nothing wrong with being gay.”
The bowler has been suspended by the ICC for the first four ODIs of the upcoming five-match series against England. One of the umpires is believed to have heard the abuse and after it became clear that Root would give evidence, Gabriel decided not to challenge the charge. He also has been fined 75 per cent of his match fee.
The ban was imposed as his accumulated demerit points reached eight within a 24-month period after his latest breach of the ICC Code of Conduct during the West Indies vs England for the third Test match.
Umpires Rod Tucker and Kumar Dharmasena spoke to Gabriel and he was charged with breaching Article 2.13 of the ICC's Code of Conduct.
“During the third day of the St Lucia Test against England on Monday, Gabriel was found guilty of breaching article 2.13 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “personal abuse of a Player, Player Support Personnel, Umpire or Match Referee during an international match”, following an incident with England Captain Joe Root,” the ICC said in a release.
The Windies team have accepted Gabriel’s punishment but have told the ICC to be consistent in applying its punishment. With the Ashes coming up, a good decision by the ICC will be needed as the series has been tarnished in recent years by unacceptable levels of personal abuse.
When asked England coach Trevor Bayliss about stump microphones, he said, “I've said it once before, no I'm not in favour of it and I'm not going to change my mind. If stump mics were around a few years ago there would be some blokes seen as holier than thou who would have been in trouble as well. I think it should be down.
“I know there are people who think the opposite and think it is good for the game but sometimes in the heat of battle things are said when guys given a bit of time to sit down and think about it would give themselves a bit of a kick up the backside.”
England will now travel to Barbados for their first ODI at the Kensington Oval on Tuesday.
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 "Shannon Gabriel with England's Joe Root")
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