Usman Khawaja charged over black armband protest during first Test

Usman Khawaja has been slapped down by cricket’s governing body after his protest move during the opening Test against Pakistan.

Usman Khawaja has been charged by the ICC for wearing a black armband during the first Test against Pakistan in Perth.

In a statement issued to News Corp, the ICC confirmed the Australian opener had been charged over the move.

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“Usman Khawaja has been charged for breaching Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment Regulations, which can be found on the ICC Playing Conditions page. The sanctions for a breach of the regulations are outlined in Appendix 2,” an ICC spokesperson said.

“Usman displayed a personal message (arm band) during the 1st Test Match against Pakistan without seeking the prior approval of Cricket Australia and the ICC to display it, as required in the regulations for personal messages. This is a breach under the category of an “other breach” and the sanction for a first offence is a reprimand.”

News Corp reported Khawaja’s armband was not approved by the ICC. Now days out from the Boxing Day Test, Cricket Australia have taken action and dropped the hammer on the Aussie opener.

Usman Khawaja s held h ground. Photo: Getty, Paul Kane.

The news of the charge comes after Khawaja’s hopes of delivering a human rights protest at the Boxing Day Test were emphatically shut down by Cricket Australia.

Khawaja last week lashed the ICC for censoring him and doubled down on his promise to continue to promote messages of support for civilians in Gaza.

The 36-year-old had handwritten slogans “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” on his footwear.

He was warned by the ICC that he faced heavy sanctions if he wore those shoes during the match — given the governing body has rules in place that prohibit the display of personal messages that relate to politics, religion or race.

While the message on his shoes was covered over with tape, Khawaja strolled out to the crease on the opening day of the Test with a black armband around his left arm.

Khawaja has sought permission to wear the personalised footwear at the MCG, but his hopes were squashed by the governing body, The Australian reports.

While Khawaja won’t be allowed to wear the footwear, News Corp cricket writer Peter Lalor says other avenues are being explored.

Khawaja won’t be wearing the shoes in Melbourne. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Khawaja said it was unfair the governing body stepped in to stop him from delivering his message.

He pointed out inconsistencies in the ICC’s rulings where some players have previously been approved to show personal messages that surrounded topics of politics, religion or race.

The ICC’s clothing and equipment regulations state that: “In determining whether a message is for a ‘political, religious or racial cause’, 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.

“Each case must be considered on its own facts and the ICC will take into account all relevant circumstances, including (as it sees fit): (a) the views of any other relevant team or individual; (b) the likely sentiment and response in the media to the message in all relevant countries; (c) whether the message is a ‘one-off’ or whether it is to be displayed for a longer period; (d) the purpose and impact of conveying the message,” the regulations continue.

Khawaja didn’t seek permission to wear the armband. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Khawaja last week delivered an impassioned plea on his social media channels after the messaging on his shoes caused a stir among fans.

“I’ve noticed what I’ve written on my shoes has caused a little bit of a stir,” Khawaja began.

“I won’t say much, I don’t need to. But what I do want is for everyone who did get offended is to ask yourself these questions: ‘Is freedom not for everyone? Are all lives not equal?

“To me personally it doesn’t matter what race, religion or culture you are.

“Let’s be honest about it. If me saying ‘all lives are equal’ has resulted in people being offended to the point where they are calling me up and telling me off, well isn’t that the bigger problem?

“These people obviously don’t believe in what I’ve written. And it’s not just a handful of people. You’d be shocked about how many feel this way.

Usman Khawaja relented on his plan to wear a pro-Palestinian message on his shoes during the first Test. Picture: Instagram

“What I’ve written on my shoes isn’t political. I’m not taking sides. Human life to me is equal. One Jewish life is equal to one Muslim life is equal to one Hindu life, and so on.

“I’m just speaking up for those who don’t have a voice. This is close to my heart. When I see thousands of innocent children dying without any repercussions or remorse, I imagine my two girls. What if this was them?

“No one chooses where they’re born. And then I see the world turn their backs on them. My heart can’t take it. I already feel my life wasn’t equal to others when I was growing up. But luckily for me, I never lived in a world where that lack of inequality was life or death.

“The ICC have told me that I can’t wear my shoes on the field because they believe it’s a political statement under their guidelines. I don’t believe it is so. It’s a humanitarian appeal. I will respect their view, and their decision but I will fight it and seek to gain approval. Freedom is a human right, and all lives are equal. I will never stop believing that, whether you agree with me or not.”

Originally published as Usman Khawaja charged over black armband protest during first Test