Usman Khawaja says he will not wear a black armband at the Boxing Day Test, but will work with Cricket Australia (CA) on a way to express his support for people in Gaza.
On Thursday the ICC charged the Australian, the world’s leading run scorer in Tests in 2023, for breaching its clothing and equipment regulations for wearing a black armband without permission during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth.
Khawaja challenged the ICC ruling during a press conference launching CA’s Multicultural Action Plan on Friday. He said the armband was for a “personal bereavement”, that he complied with the ICC regulations and there had been precedents he had followed.
“I respect the ICC and the rules and regulations they have. I will be asking them and contesting that they make it fair and equitable for everyone, and they have consistency in how they officiate, that’s all I ask for. From my point of view, that consistency hasn’t been done yet,” he said.
CA’s chief executive, Nick Hockley, said since the Perth Test his organisation has been working with the ICC and Khawaja on a way the 67-Test veteran can share his message.
“The work that we’ve been doing since is to see if there’s a really respectful way that is very much unifying, brings people together, to allow Uzzy to really share his message and that’s the subject now of ICC consideration,” he said.
Under ICC rules, permission to wear a black armband is from both the ICC and a player’s national body is required and messages for “political, religious or racial” causes are barred. CA confirmed Khawaja had not discussed the gesture with the Australian governing body prior to the match. Khawaja will receive a formal warning from the ICC if the charge is upheld. Subsequent breaches will result in increasing fines.
“I think there’s been plenty of people who’ve not had permission to wear stuff in the past,” the opener said. “I was very clear and open about the armband, so I’ll deal with that with the ICC and I’ll have those conversations with them.”
Khawaja said CA had been “very supportive” during the process and he reiterated his support for people in Gaza and said his empathy for their plight was his motivation.
“I told Nick [Hockley] literally just this morning that when I look at my Instagram and I’m seeing kids, innocent kids, videos of them dying, passing away, that’s what’s hit me the hardest,” he said. “I just imagine my young daughter, the same thing.”
The opener was speaking a the launch of the multicultural action plan, which aims to make Australian cricket more inclusive to culturally diverse communities.
Khawaja said there was still racism within a minority of Australian cricket, although the majority “have been absolutely great”.
He said he was called lazy as a young cricketer because he would sometimes lag behind others at fitness sessions during Ramadan, when he hadn’t eaten or drank all day.
“At that time, it was more or less ‘he’s not working hard enough’, they didn’t really understand what it was,” he said.
Molina Asthana, a lawyer who founded Multicultural Women in Sport and who has been a multicultural ambassador for Cricket Australia, said having a plan is important but the focus must be on long-term engagement.
“Any initiatives to include multicultural communities should be focused on their particular requirements or motivations, which may require long-term investment without immediate returns,” she said.
“For example, a focus on Afghan communities should be on their resettlement and using sport to do that.”
Asthana said the goals of the plan must be embedded in CA’s overall strategy, including measurable KPIs for executives. She said “racist attitudes prevent South Asian players getting opportunities to progress”.
Hockley declined to address racism in Australian cricket, but said he wanted to make every cricket environment as inclusive as possible. “I think we’ve been really clear that any form of discrimination has no part in cricket and this is really a positive proactive plan.”
