Australia v Pakistan: The double standard behind decision to shut down Khawaja Palestine protest

Usman Khawaja could yet find himself in trouble from the ICC despite backing down on his pro-Palestine shoe protest – a decision which the Australian star slammed as a double standard.

Usman Khawaja got creative in a bid to circumvent an ICC ban after the prospect of a perceived double standard was identified as a factor deterring Cricket Australia from pushing too hard for the opener to wear a pro-Palestinian message on his shoes during the Test series against Pakistan.

ICC regulations were on Wednesday identified as the key reason behind Khawaja being begrudgingly denied the right to don the messages “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal,” written in Palestinian colours of red, green and black, on his shoes during the first Test in Perth.

Despite the colours chosen clearly pointing to one group of people in the Israel-Hamas war, Khawaja claimed in an impassioned social media video on Wednesday that he was not picking sides and that his message was purely a humanitarian one, saying he would fight the ICC decision and push to be able to wear the shoes later in the series.

Khawaja reiterated on Thursday morning that he would seek to challenge the ICC’s call.

“I am a grown man I can do anything I want, but I think the ICC will keep coming down and giving me fines and at some point it will detract from the game (but) I stand by what I said,” Khawaja said on Channel 7.

“I will stand by that, I think forever. For me, I need to get out there and concentrate on what I am doing but it is right at the forefront of my mind.

The shoes of Usman Khawaja which displayed the pro-Palestinian message. Picture: Getty

“I will try to (challenge the ICC) as soon as possible, whenever it is possible. There already has been a precedent set in the past that ICC have allowed. A precedent set where players have done stuff in the past where the ICC hasn’t done anything.

“I find it a bit unfair that they have come down on me at this point in time where there definitely has been precedents in the past of similar things.”

Khawaja worked around the restrictions on his shoe message by instead donning a black armband when he came out to bat on Thursday in Perth.

While such armbands are routinely worn to mark bereavements, ICC regulations state that when deciding whether to approve a player wearing an armband, “the starting point is that the ICC and its members acknowledge and agree that cricket should be used as a tool to bring people and communities around the world together and not as a platform to draw attention to potentially divisive political issues, rhetoric or agendas”.

Khawaja’s boots on Thursday were taped up to cover the message. Picture: AFP

The ICC has been contacted for comment.

CA and Test captain Pat Cummins pointed to the ICC rules as the primary driver behind Khawaja not wearing the message on his shoes, however privately within CA there has been more nuance to the discussion.

At least in part, there is an acknowledgment at a senior level within CA that allowing Khawaja to wear what has been perceived in some quarters as a political statement would be at odds with the rules for spectators attending international cricket this summer.

Under the terms and conditions of entry for this season, fans agree not to “wear or otherwise display commercial, political, religious, negatively motivated, or offensive signage, clothing or logos”.

While Khawaja has been at pains to stress that his message is not political, that is not a view shared universally within CA, with concerns raised that it would be unfair to impose one set of rules in this regard on players and one on supporters.

Khawaja instead wore a black armband, in response to the ICC’s decision. Picture: Getty

The ICC regulations state that “any clothing or equipment that does not comply with these regulations is strictly prohibited”.

“In particular, no logo shall be permitted to be displayed on cricket clothing or cricket equipment, other than a national logo, a commercial logo, an event logo, a manufacturer’s logo, a player’s bat logo, a charity logo or a non-commercial logo as provided in these regulations.

“In addition, where any match official becomes aware of any clothing or equipment that does not comply with these regulations, he shall be authorised to prevent the offending person from taking the field of play (or to order them from the field of play, if appropriate) until the non-compliant clothing or equipment is removed or appropriately covered up.”

Khawaja made it past lunch but fell for 41 after edging behind off Pakistan quick Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Originally published as Australia v Pakistan: The double standard behind decision to shut down Khawaja Palestine protest