Is Australian cricket racist?
Introduction to the media issue
Video clip at right: On January 10, 2021, 9News reported the brief halt called that day at the India vs Australia test match while spectators accused of calling out racial abuse were removed from the stadium.What they said...
'There wasn't a match I wasn't racially abused in when I went out to bat'
John McGuire, an Indigenous player who is second in the all-time run-scoring list for the first-grade competition in Western Australia
'We have to be vigilant against any comments, against any actions, even though it's conducted by only a very small minority of people'
New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian warning cricket fans against making racially abusive comments
The issue at a glance
On January 9. 2021, on day three of the India vs Australia test match being played on the Sydney Cricket Ground, India captain Ajinkya Rahane and other senior players spoke to the umpires at the end of play. It was subsequently revealed that they were alleging racist abuse from some sections of the crowd.
On January 10, play was stopped for eight minutes following claims of more alleged abuse.
At least six fans were removed from their seats for allegedly making racist comments after Mohammed Siraj ran in from the fine-leg boundary, alerting teammates before umpires passed on the message to security and police.
A subsequent enquiry confirmed that racial abuse had occurred; however, the six spectators who had been escorted from the stadium were not the perpetrators.
The incident has provoked significant discussion regarding the extent of racism in Australian cricket.