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Duncan O'Leary

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Duncan works on projects looking at public services, skills and work.

Posted by Duncan O'Leary at 12:52pm on Monday, 14th January 2008

This was the most interesting thing I read over the weekend. It’s a piece looking at the furore going on in Australia over an alleged racist remark in an international cricket match. The accused player has now offered his defence: he says it was a comment about another player’s wife, not about his race. So, asks the article, why is this a defence? Which ‘isms have become acceptable?

Comments

1
I'm not sure I agree with you, I think it's a pretty foolish article that doesn't really reference any of the context of the furore, namely the particulars of the practice of sledging in cricket. There has been really good coverage of this by the broadsheet sports writers (unfortunately I can't find the specific  articles to link to), some who have made quite a persuasive case that it seems a bit arbitary to object to racist abuse only, especially in the context of some of the more venomous sledging that occurs (for example the NZ batsman whose sister died in a train crash days earlier being greeted with 'choo choo' as he walked to the crease by the Aussies).

The questions here are is a) insulting a player's mother defacto sexist and b) is racist sledging more unacceptable than other sledging? I'd argue that the answer to both these is no, in this particular context. If Australian cricketers are prepared to suspend the rules of normal acceptable behaviour to gain a psychological advantage, then the suspension can't be revoked when it suits them.

As an aside, both the Australian and Indian cricket teams have deservedly come out looking bad from this incident, the Indians for not censuring Singh for his ignorant comments and the Australians for being whinging hypocrites.
Posted by Faizal Farook  at 4:01pm on Monday, 14th January 2008
2
That was kind of what i meant - the issue that the whole episode raises is exactly as you say: is it a bit arbitary to object to racist abuse only, especially in the context of some of the more venomous sledging that occurs? That's obviously not what the Australians felt, because they reported it. And it's obviously not what the accused Indian player felt, because he denied racism but what happy to report his insults about another player's wife. I offer no answers, just the observation that the episode makes us think about where the line is drawn between disapproval and punishment.
Posted by Duncan O'Leary  at 6:38pm on Monday, 14th January 2008

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