XPost: uk.sport.cricket, aus.sport.cricket

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/pat-cummins-curious-on-icc-not-allowing-usman-khawaja-s-dove-logo-1414131

Cummins curious on ICC not allowing Khawaja's dove logo

Australia skipper supports Khawaja and sees no difference between a dove
logo representing human rights and Labuschagne's approved eagle sticker
that is a religious display

Australia captain Pat Cummins says there is no difference between Usman
Khawaja displaying a dove logo on his shoe and bat to raise awareness of humanitarian issues and teammate Marnus Labuschagne displaying an eagle
on his bat which signifies a personal religious message, after the ICC
denied Khawaja's application to display the logo during the Boxing Day Test.

Khawaja made an application to the ICC to display a small dove holding
an olive branch on his shoe and bat during the Test match which is a
reference to article one of the Universal declaration of Human Rights
that reads, "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."

But despite being cleared by Cricket Australia and the Australian
Cricketers Association to display it, the ICC denied his application
with an ICC spokesperson stating that, "Personal messages of this nature
are not allowed as per Clause F of the Clothing and Equipment
Regulations, which can be found on the ICC Playing Conditions page. The
ICC is supportive of players using their platforms outside of the
playing arena to promote human rights, peace and equality and would
encourage him to continue to use alternative platforms."

Labuschagne displays the symbol of an eagle on the back of his bats
which represents a verse from the bible and has long been allowed to
have the sticker on his bat in international cricket. Almost every
player in the Australian team, including Khawaja, also have multiple advertising stickers on their bats that represent different companies
including their bat/equipment sponsor and a secondary personal sponsor,
which are allowed under ICC rules.

Speaking on Christmas Day, 24 hours out from the start of the second
Test against Pakistan at the MCG, Cummins said he saw no difference
between Labuschagne displaying a religious reference and Khawaja's
attempt to display a logo referring to the Universal declaration of
Human Rights.

"Not really, no - I don't know the ins and outs of the application, but
I think it is pretty vanilla, a dove," Cummins said.

"We really support Uzzy, I think he's standing up for what he believes
and I think he's doing it really respectfully.

"All lives are equal and I don't think that's very offensive, and I'd
say the same about the dove. That's Uzzy. He can hold his head high the
way he's gone about it, but there's rules in place, so I believe the ICC
have said they're not going to approve that. They make up the rules and
you've got to accept it."

The ruling has raised the ire of former West Indies fast bowler Michael
Holding who has accused the ICC of double standards.

"If it 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," Holding told the Weekend Australian. "Once
again they show their hypocrisy and lack of moral standing as an
organisation."

Khawaja was charged by the ICC with breaching the same Clause F of the
Clothing and Equipment Regulations after wearing a black armband during
the first Test against Pakistan in Perth. He said he would challenge the
charge having told the governing body it was for a "personal
bereavement" but added that he won't continue to wear one in the MCG Test.

Khawaja wore the armband having initially planned to take the field with writing on his shoes which he had worn in training stating "all lives
are equal" and "freedom is a human right" to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Speaking at the MCG last Friday, Khawaja said that he did not believe
ICC were implementing their own regulations consistently.

"They asked me on day two [in Perth] what it was for and told them it
was for a personal bereavement," he said of the armband. "I never ever
stated it was for anything else. The shoes were a different matter, I'm
happy to say that. The armband makes no sense to me. I followed all the regulations, past precedents, guys that put stickers on their bats,
names on their shoes, done all sorts of things in the past without ICC
approval and never been reprimanded.

"I respect the ICC and the rules and regulations they have. I will be
asking them and contesting they make it fair and equitable for everyone
and they have consistency in how they officiate. That consistency hasn't
been done yet. I was very open and honest with that. I'll deal with that
with the ICC."

There was no official statement when Khawaja wore the armband on the
first day in Perth, but at the time it was understood to be in relation
to the video he had posted on social media after being told he could not
show the messages on his shoes.

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