“Is Freedom Not For Everyone”: Australian Cricketer Decides To Fight ICC Ban On Gaza Support (image-instagram/usman_khawajy)
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja posted a video of him on his social media platform promising to fight the ruling put up by the sport’s governing body-International Cricket Council (ICC) which stopped him from wearing shoes which displayed Gaza solidarity message.
In the emotional message shared, he clarifies that his action was not political and he felt that the “bigger problem” is people criticizing his stance.
The opening batter was seen wearing shoes with “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” written in Palestinian flag colour during Australian training session prior to their Test series against Pakistan. As per the ICC rulings, the players are not allowed to display “non-complaint” wordings or logos on clothing or equipment worn during international matches, reports Al Jazeera.
This means the batter will not be allowed to wear the boots during the match against Pakistan. “I will respect their view and decision, but I will fight it and seek to gain approval,” the player commented. “I am just speaking up for those who don’t have a voice”.
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Khawaja said that he was speaking out for the thousands of children who have lost their lives in the indiscriminate bombing in Gaza.
With a quivering voice he said, “this is close to my heart”. “When I see thousands of children dying without any repercussions or remorse, I imagine my two girls – what if this was them?”.
The player stated holding back his tears, “my heart can’t take it”.
As per the government and health official report, at least 7,700 children lost their lives in the war. The 36-year-old then added that no once chooses the places they are born to and the cricketer shared the instance of his childhood when he felt his life wasn’t equal to others. “But luckily for me, I have never lived in a world where the lack of inequality was life or death”, he went on to say in the video.
Though many came criticizing, Australian sport Minister Anika Wells supported the cricketer and said “Usman Khawaja is a great athlete and a great Australian”.
Former cricketer Moneen Ali too received ICC’s warning for showing support for Palestinians. He was asked to remove the wrist band showing support to Gaza during a Test match which was held in the middle of 2014 Gaza war.
Recently, Pakistan wicketkeeper Muhammed Rizwan too showed his Palestinian stance by dedicating his country’s win against Sri Lanka at the Cricket World Cup in India to the people of Gaza.
Meanwhile, the cricket fans and experts slammed ICC for taking double standards. Cricket writer Ayaz Memon slammed ICC on a post on X and wrote, “What’s objectionable in the cause he’s espousing? ICC, which (rightly) supported Black Lives Matter, is being shamefully duplicitous in this instance”. And called Khawaja”s action as “brave and right”.
