Ban or fine racist spectators, says Cricket Australia

Racism has no place anywhere in world cricket, either on or off the field, and spectators who offend should face life bans and/or heavy fines, according to Cricket Australia.

Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said cricket's growth as a genuinely global sport is totally dependent on all nations, players and fans embracing the human diversity which enriches the sport.

He also called for tough penalties to allow cricket administrators globally to ban for life or heavily fine the small handful of miscreants who offend with weak-minded racist taunts from the relative anonymity of packed stadiums.

"The weak-minded minority who are tempted to think "me too" when they see or hear media reports of racist taunts might think again if they realised they faced bans or huge fines of the type that now apply to spectators who trespass on Australian cricket arenas," he said.

"We intend to talk to Australian Federal and State Governments who supported us by introducing heavy fines for on-field trespassers to see if a similar approach might be possible for racist spectators.

"Nearly one million Australian spectators have offered a warm and enthusiastic welcome to South Africa's, West Indies’ and Sri Lanka’s competitive and skilled international cricketers this summer.

"I am appalled that their welcome has had a shadow cast over it by shameful behaviour of maybe half a dozen half-wits.

"I am confident that the genuine welcome offered by the vast majority of Australians they encounter or play in front of will encourage South African and other international cricketers from around the world to feel comfortable that they are always welcome here."

Mr Sutherland said Australian cricket had a zero tolerance approach to racism in cricket, and would continue to enforce the formal requirements of the ICC anti racism policy, such as ejecting spectators who make racist comments.

Cricket Australia also took seriously its obligation to assist the ICC investigation announced today into racist comments reported at a number of Australian venues this summer, and had offered total co-operation to the inquiry, to be headed by eminent Indian Solicitor General Goolam Vahanvati.