SA player making abusive comments about Pakistan/Herschelle Gibbs banned for 2 Tests

Entertainment Cricket and Other Sports
1

South African player heard abusing Pakistanis

CENTURION, South Africa, Jan 14 (Reuters) - A South African player was heard making racist and abusive comments about Pakistan during the fourth day of the first test on Sunday.

The words were picked up by the stump microphone and broadcast live on television but commentators did not name the player.
The phrase “a bunch of bloody animals” could be heard along with other more obscene comments.

“There have been complaints and this is something that the South African team certainly doesn’t stand for,” South Africa coach Mickey Arthur told a news conference.

“But I think we have to view this in the context in which it was said. It wasn’t directed at any Pakistani player. It was done between overs. One of our players did shout something and it was picked up by the stump mikes.”
Arthur was concerned about close media monitoring of events on the field of play.
“Most sides in the world play it tough, and that’s the way it should be. There is a fine line, and I don’t think you should ever step over that line, but I’m not sure what the boundary is,” he said.

“But what happens in the middle stays in the middle, that’s the way we like to play it. The stump mikes are a little intrusive.”

Cricket South Africa said it had obtained tapes of the comments and would issue a statement on Monday. The issue has not been raised with International Cricket Council match referee Chris Broad.

Meanwhile, two Pakistan supporters were ejected from the stadium after left-arm spinner Paul Harris said they had sworn at him.
“Our field manager was approached by the South African players, who said that they were sworn at by Pakistani supporters,” stadium security manager Terrence Jacobs said.

“They pointed out the spectators to us, and we had a discussion with them. Two of them admitted that they did swear at the South African players while they were in the field.”

SOURCE: http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/articlenews.aspx?type=cricketNews&storyID=2007-01-14T185254Z_01_B70693_RTRIDST_0_CRICKET-PAKISTAN-ABUSE.XML&pageNumber=0&imageid=&cap=&sz=13&WTModLoc=NewsArt-C1-ArticlePage2

2

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

It lies under the responsibilites of the match referee to adhere to the international protocol for pitch microphones which states it to be turned off between deliveries. More at fault is Chris Broad rather than the other way around.

3

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

Whats the job of match referee? why an opposition team should bring this to his notice? why he is sitting there? he should take a note of it without aggrevating it to the point where opposition file a law suit againts it.

4

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

I am glad the microphones were on so that this racist BS could be overheard. The saffies made all kinds of righteous noise about racist abuse from the crowds when in Australia, so this is pretty rich, coming as it is from the players. The Oz media is having a ripe time with this.

Article from Foxsports.au:

WHEN South Africa toured Australia in 2005-2006, an issue hitting the headlines as often as the cricket was racism. Several players were subjected to racist taunts from crowd members in Perth, and the touring party was upset and justifiably outraged.

In the wake of it all, an International Cricket Council investigation was launched to get to the root of the problem. Cricket Australia said the regrettable affair “caused not just cricket but Australia as a whole some sort of embarrassment”. Months later, the ICC’s Anti-Racism Code was beefed up to strengthen cricket’s ‘zero tolerance’ approach to this disgusting, albeit marginal, side of sport.

The insults cut so deep that South Africa threatened to boycott future tours to Australia.

“None of the team minds abuse because it happens in any country,” coach Mickey Arthur said. “But we feel once it becomes a racist taunt then the boundaries are being overstepped and the South African team categorically deplores that type of behaviour. I don’t think we can do too much more other than just make our point that we categorically deplore it.”

One year and a few days on, and South Africa is at the centre of another racism storm. This time, however, it is not receiving the abuse but giving it.

Stump microphones picked up as-yet unnamed South Africa players referring to their Pakistan counterparts as “bunch of animals” who should “go back to the zoo”.

It should be hoped that the indignation that South Africa felt in Australia would not be forgotten at a time like this. What the deplorable happenings at Centurion today should present is an opportunity for the Proteas to put into practice their abhorrence of racism.

CSA will conduct an internal investigation into the matter. If it finds some of its players guilty of racist abuse, and if it is singing from the same hymn sheet as last year, then the heaviest book should be thrown at them by the best arm in the country.

If comments by Arthur are anything to go by, it can only be hoped that he has nothing at all do to with the inquiry.

“I think we have to view this in the context in which it was said. It wasn’t directed at any Pakistani player. It was done between overs,” said Arthur, presumably in some pathetic attempt to justify the abuse.

“There is a fine line, and I don’t think you should ever step over that line, but I’m not sure what the boundary is.”

He seemed to know exactly where that line was 12 months ago, and the pitiable logic doesn’t stop there. Arthur had the temerity to question the role of the stump microphone.

“What happens in the middle stays in the middle, that’s the way we like to play it. The stump mikes are a little intrusive,” he went on. Unfortunate and hypocritical drivel, from the first word to the last.

Gerald Majola, CSA’s chief executive officer, needs to box clever on this one. He was an audibly disapproving voice last year and has been a key player in the ICC’s commendable attempt to rid cricket of racism.

It is one thing to be committed to keeping members of the public under control, but the stakes are raised when it is your own players who are dragging professional sport back into the stone age.

For the sake of the ill-treated Pakistan cricketers, the sensibilities of right-thinking sports fans around the world and for the sake of South Africa’s credibility, there is only one course of action to take.

5

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

australinas get away with it all the time.they might get away with it too.i also heard the south african commentators on super sport referring to pakistani players as Pakis over and over again.that may not be a racial slur in south africa but still.

6

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

I heard that commentator too. It might not be an offensive word in SA but keep in mind this game is being watched all over the world including the UK by billions of people.

roadrunner: Do you suppose if there was a match going on in Karachi National Stadium between Pak and WI, is it ok for a pakistani commentator to refer to all of the West Indian teams as niggers just because nigger is not an offensive term in Pakistan? I dont think so.

Similarly in consideration for the millions of pakistanis indians and other desis in europe especially UK, this commentator should avoid using the word paki.

7

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

Here is the video.

One of the South African players was yesterday overheard on the stumps microphone shouting that the Pakistani supporters were behaving “like bloody animals” and something should be done about the “f Pakistanis”

To download or stream it in Internet Explorer (HQ) Click here

8

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

I don't think the match referee Chris Broad will take any action, maybe he would have if South Afrcicans were on the receiving end.

9

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

^exactly!well said.

10

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

Thanks for the video. Boucher should be held accountable!

11

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

Nigger is a universally accepted insult to Negroes. For the reason why it is an insult you have to look into the derivation of it and its origins, and it would be an absolute crime if dumb Pakis made Paki an insult like Nigger. Here is a short explanation of what i mean.

The word Negro comes from the Dutch/German word neger meaning black. It became distorted into nigger and was not an offensive word at first. After the revolution in America it took up a meaning of racial inequality because it was used as a word of hatred for the blacks being part of America. This made it a universally well known racial slur since it marks an important point in history.

The word Paki is just short for Pakistani. It has no historical racial history, just something some fat drunk white Englishmen uncreatively thought up one night in a pub over a pint of Guiness. There is no reason at all why Paki is a racist term, and why so. Just because some alcoholic in England says so? Why then try and make it into an international racist slur, when there is absolutely no historical relevance for doing so?

12

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

Latest VIDEO call report:

Click here to watch or download (use internet explorer to view the stream)

13

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

Thanks Samad for the video.
I think PCB should take up the complaint against such utterances

Another US Consulate car caught with fake number plates
14

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

dean jones jokingly called hashim amla a terrorist and he got fired.call a black man a nigger on the streets of harlem jokingly and he'll slit your throat .its alright to do that privately to somebody you are friends with,but to do it on t.v where millions are watching is not right.

15

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

Gibbs is being investigated for the remarks which the mic picked up yesterday.

16

Re: South African player making abusive comments about Pakistan

Gibbs charged for abusive comment

South Africa’s Herschelle Gibbs faces a disciplinary hearing later on Monday over an allegedly racist comment made during the first Test against Pakistan.

His words were picked up by the stump microphone and broadcast on television during day four in Centurion.
Gibbs will face match referee Chris Broad, who could impose a suspension of up to four Test matches or eight ODIs.
Cricket South Africa said the comments were made after fielder Paul Harris was abused by members of the crowd.
“Herschelle says these remarks were for the ears only of his team-mates in his proximity,” said chief executive Gerald Majola.
"He has apologised if he has caused offence to anyone.
“However, CSA regards this whole matter in a most serious light.”
CSA organised its own disciplinary hearing, set to take place on Tuesday, but International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed intervened, charging Gibbs under level three of the ICC code of conduct.
Rule 3.3 prohibits using " … any language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person?s race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethic origin.?
The last leading player to be given a ban for a racist outburst was Australia’s Darren Lehmann, who was suspended for five one-day matches in the run-up to the last World Cup after an incident against Sri Lanka.
Several unruly spectators were ejected from the Centurion Park ground on the fourth day.

17

Breaking News: Herschelle Gibbs Banned for 2 TESTS

**Breaking News On Geo News: Herschelle Gibbs Banned for 2 TESTS

More to follow...**

18

Re: Breaking News: Herschelle Gibbs Banned for 2 TESTS

Good he deserved to be banned for more tests. Racist bigot.

19

Re: Breaking News: Herschelle Gibbs Banned for 2 TESTS

For the first time since the concept of match referee has been introduced - I have seen a truly commendable decision...
I have always seen the match referees suck up to the goras...be it desis or west indians or Goras...

20

Re: Breaking News: Herschelle Gibbs Banned for 2 TESTS

I think its a gr8 decision because Refree Chris Broad also famous with anti Asians thinking..... welldone Chris