On the eve of Australia’s Boxing Day Test, ICC disallowed batter Usman Khawaja from having the words “All lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” show on his shoes. A few days later, a sticker on his shoes featuring a dove with olive leaf – universal symbols for peace – was disallowed too. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the second request was turned down because Khawaja’s submission to ICC featured the words “Middle East”.
Within a few hours, Khawaja’s Instagram had images of ICC allowing cricketers to use personal images much like his own. West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran has a Christian cross on his bat, South Africa's Keshav Maharaj an Om sign. The eagle sticker on Marnus Labuschagne’s bat represents his favourite Bible verse, Isaiah 40:31.
After retirement from ICC, Lorgat has stayed away from cricket’s contentious issues. When the Khawaja news first reached him, “My initial impression, when ICC reacted and cited their code of conduct I thought its probable that Mr Khawaja may have flouted the code. But when Mr Khawaja showed other examples where players were free to express or show personal endorsements… I can’t see how ICC can now deny Mr Khawaja. That’s double standards.”
On the eve of Australia’s Boxing Day Test, ICC disallowed batter Usman Khawaja from having the words “All lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” show on his shoes.
A few days later, a sticker on his shoes featuring a dove with olive leaf – universal symbols for peace – was disallowed too. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the second request was turned down because Khawaja’s submission to ICC featured the words “Middle East”.
Within a few hours, Khawaja’s Instagram had images of ICC allowing cricketers to use personal images much like his own. West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran has a Christian cross on his bat, South Africa's Keshav Maharaj an Om sign. The eagle sticker on Marnus Labuschagne’s bat represents his favourite Bible verse, Isaiah 40:31.
After retirement from ICC, Lorgat has stayed away from cricket’s contentious issues. When the Khawaja news first reached him, “My initial impression, when ICC reacted and cited their code of conduct I thought its probable that Mr Khawaja may have flouted the code. But when Mr Khawaja showed other examples where players were free to express or show personal endorsements… I can’t see how ICC can now deny Mr Khawaja. That’s double standards.”
