Usman Khawaja denied by ICC to display humanitarian logo at Boxing Day Test

Australian opener Usman Khawaja has been denied permission to place a peace symbol and reference to the UN Declaration of Human Rights on his bat for the Boxing Day Test, but wore the sticker at training on Sunday.

Usman Khawaja of Australia bats during an Australia Test squad nets session at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 24, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Getty

Usman Khawaja has been denied permission to place a peace symbol and reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on his bat for the Boxing Day Test but wore the sticker at training on Sunday.

The opener who was banned from wearing the words “freedom is a human right” and “all lives are equal” on his bat in the Perth match after his plans were revealed by The Australian is understood to be frustrated that attempts at a compromise have been rejected.

Khawaja had multiple meetings with his bosses at Cricket Australia to find a wording that would be appropriate to the local and international cricket authorities.

He compromised and came up with a dove peace symbol and reference to the first article of the UDHR after being told his initial words were inflammatory.

The sticker on Usman Khawaja’s bat at training on Sunday. Picture: Supplied

Khawaja had the sticker on his bat at training at the MCG on Sunday but has been told he cannot use it in the Test.

Khawaja trained for the Boxing Day Test in shoes showing an image of a black dove holding an olive branch. Picture: Supplied

Article One of the UDHR states: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood”.

Khawaja has already been sanctioned for wearing a black armband in the Perth Test.

Khawaja said he went to great lengths to keep religion out of the statements on his shoes and emphasised his despair at watching the number of children killed in the conflict.

“I don’t have any agendas other than trying to shine a light on what I feel really passionately, really strongly about. I’m trying to do it in the most respectful way as possible,” Khawaja said.

“”What I wrote on my shoes I thought about carefully, I made sure that I didn’t want to segregate different parts of the population, religious beliefs, communities. Hence why I’ve kept religion out of this. I want it to be really broad over my speaking because I am talking about humanitarian issues.

Usman Khawaja says he doesn’t ‘have any agendas other than trying to shine a light on what I feel really passionately, really strongly about’. Picture: AFP

“I’m talking about Article One of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That is literally the crux of it.

“The reason I’m doing it is because it hit me hard. I told Nick (Hockley) this morning that when I’m looking at my Instagram and I’m seeing kids, innocent kids, videos of them dying, passing away, that’s what’s hit me the hardest. I just imagine my young daughter in my arms and the same thing. I get emotional talking about it right now again. And for me that’s the reason I’m doing this, I don’t have any agendas. I don’t get anything out of this I just feel it is my responsibility to speak up on this.”

Thank you to all those who supported and gave me love this week. It wasn't unnoticed 💕. Nothing worthwhile is easy. History shows we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. But together we can fight for a better future. 🙏🏾 #freedomisahumanright#alllivesareequalpic.twitter.com/HAhbebDbCT

— Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) December 18, 2023

Khawaja argued that other players, including Marnus Labuschagne who has a biblical reference, and Indian players who have Hindu symbols on their bats are in breach of regulations but the ICC turns a blind eye..

Michael Holding, one of the game’s great bowlers and most respected commentators, found his voice during the Black Lives Matter protests and won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year prize for his book Why We Kneel How We Rise.

The West Indian great is scathing of cricket’s hand-wringing over the Khawaja issue which he is monitoring from his home.

“I’ve been following the Khawaja fiasco and I cannot say I’m surprised by the ICC stance,” he told The Weekend Australian. “If had been most other organisations that showed some semblance of consistency with their attitude and behaviour on issues I could claim surprise, but not them.

“Once again they show their hypocrisy and lack of moral standing as an organisation.

“The ICC regulations say re messaging ‘Approval shall not be granted for messages which relate to political, religious or racial activities or causes’. So how the f..k people were allowed to take the knee for BLM and stumps were covered with LGBTQ colours???”

Khawaja has had the full support of his teammates during the wrestle with cricket authorities with captain Pat Cummins asking how people could be offended by the sentiments on his shoes.

“His shoes had ‘all lives are equal’, I don’t think that’s very divisive, I don’t think anyone can have too many complaints to that,” he said.