Usman Khawaja’s appeal to the ICC over the black armband he wore during the Perth Test against Pakistan has reportedly failed.
According to Fox Cricket, the decision means Usman Khawaja’s reprimand will stand.
The Australian opener wore a black armband during his innings as a personal gesture of mourning for the children killed in Gaza during Israeli attacks.
Usman Khawaja has been charged with breaching Clause F of the Dress and Equipment Regulations, which can be found on the ICC’s Playing Conditions page. An ICC spokesperson said sanctions for breaching the rules are set out in Appendix 2.
“Usman showed up during the first Test match against Pakistan to display a personal message (armband) without obtaining prior approval from Cricket Australia and the ICC, as required by the Personal Messages Regulations. This is a “second breach. “is an offense under the category of and the penalty for a first offense is a reprimand.”
Usman Khawaja was watching at the beginning
Khawaja initially wanted to wear shoes emblazoned with the slogans “All Lives Are Equal” and “Freedom is a Human Right”, but was rejected before that could happen.
He complained to the ICC of “double standards” over the decision.
“They asked me the other day what it was for and (I) told them it was for personal mourning,” Khawaja said in December.
I never said it was for anything else. Shoes were a different matter, I’m glad to say. The armband makes no sense to me.
“I followed all the rules and regulations, past precedents, people who put stickers on their bats, names on their shoes, did all sorts of things without ICC approval in the past and never got reprimanded. Done. I respect the ICC and its rules and regulations.
“I would challenge them to make it fair and equitable for everybody and have consistency in how they operate. That consistency hasn’t happened yet.”
Cricket Australia has permitted Khawaja to wear a dove with an olive branch when playing in the BBL this season.
