Racism in Cricket

There is absolutely no excuse for racism in sport. Although this is somewhat a narrow minded view in the global context of equality and fairness the issue only seems to attract any media attention when presented on the sporting field. Recently, Andrew Symonds complained that he was the subject of racial abuse on the cricket field during the fifth one day cricket International against India in Vadodhara. Symonds complained that he was subject to “monkey chants” from the Indian crowd who constantly tormented him whilst he was fielding at the boundary rope.

Let me ask you: how is a monkey chant racial abuse? Does Symonds believe that he is cross bred with a gorilla and a human; maybe two gorillas? If not, then he should not be affected by such claims. Now, any slur can be taken offensive especially whilst under the pressure of a tightly contested sporting event. However, India was thrashed by Australia by nine wickets. Where is the pressure? Mr Symonds, you are softer than a kindergarten girl who cries after being teased for wearing pigtails to school.

This incident is being compared to other instances of racial abuse. For example, during the Australia – South Africa game at the WACA ground in Perth South African players were racially abused as ‘kaffirs’ whilst fielding on the boundary rope. Such taunts are several degrees more severe than a ‘monkey’ chant. Although the Symonds event in Vadodhara is rather trivial in comparison to other instances of racism in cricket, it does highlight an important issue.

In the global context, racial abuse is regarded as a terrible offence and much is done to abolish it. However, in places such as the sub-continent racism is common. People often refer to another’s caste, class, birth, status etc in a derogatory manner as a method of slight. In Australia, such actions are regarded as outrageous and so the media condemn the crowd. But in India, the slander which Australian cricketers torment the Indian cricketers with is regarded as outrageous in India in the same way Symond’s monkey chants are taken to be offensive here. If the same slander that Australian players use on other International teams were used in a local Australian state game it would not affect the local players. That is, the manner in which sledging affects a player is simply due to a clash of cultures.

What was it that caused Harbhajan Singh to confront the entire Australian team after he was dismissed in the second ODI at Eden Gardens? India was also losing at that point and it would seem rather silly to confront a side that is thrashing you to all corners of the cricket field. Nevertheless, Singh stood up to the Australian side and had to be pulled away from the umpire. This was regarded as comical by the Australian media. When Singh complained of inappropriate sledging, the media portrayed the Indians as sore losers. Obviously, something terrible was said (if you were an Indian with Indian values as opposed to Australian cultural values). So, to an Australian player it is mild offence; to an Indian player it is terrible slander.

The simple fact is that the content of Australian sledging is insensitive to other cultures. This is simply ignored because Australia keeps winning and so the complaints of the other team are simply taken as poor sportsmanship. Now the attention is shifted towards the Indians: no doubt there will be an investigation and consequences. But the simple fact is that Australian players are sore losers. If they are going to sledge in whatever manner they wish then they should accept sledging in whatever manner the opposition wishes. Given that the content of sledging cannot be monitored if sledging is allowed, then action must be taken to police what is said on the field.

Much of the sledging occurs at the crease around the batsmen and so it is a simple task for the umpire to judge whether sledges are inappropriate. Psychological games are part of cricket but it should not be interpreted to use issues irrelevant to the game of cricket to upset the batsman. Umpires should therefore be given the power to award penalties or fines to players who sledge inappropriately. Such a practice is logical since they are at the centre of the playing field and can hear all that is said to the batsman.

Once the players clean up their act all this media attention can focus on crowd behaviour. The idiots who taunt players in any manner should be harshly dealt with after being banned from cricket games. Usually, much of what fuels the crowd is what is either said or observed by the crowd. Singh’s confrontational stance to the Australian players during the second ODI obviously fuelled ideas of unfair abuse amongst the Indian public. Put simply, if we are to remove racism from sport it must begin with the players. In cricket, this begins with policing the content of sledging.