Vice has returned to haunt sport. If the fixing bug wasn’t enough to nibble into the sanctity of sport and reduce into shreds of its earlier glory, racial abuse has raised its head and delivered its diabolic sting. Of course, the culprit hasn’t managed to escape scot-free, but then, that’s only one fragment of the story. The bigger picture is scary.
On the second day of the thrilling drawn Test between England and India, there was something that happened in a rather veiled manner. England pacer was not just hurling bouncers on the 22-yard; he was taking it much beyond that. It is alleged by the Indian team manager Sunil Dev, that what sparked off as a verbal duel between Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and James Anderson soon took an ugly turn when Anderson began what could be termed as physical abuse. After a string of verbal abuses and cussing, Anderson sought to more violent means — pushing the Indian and indulging in some not-acceptable kind of banter.
While the incident itself is shocking, it is also a sly reminder of what happened a few years back in Sydney. Yes, the Indians have been there and done that. Racial abuse, umpiring bias and a whole lot of media coverage. We shudder to think of it. Not just because it was an ugly thing, but also because our blood boils when we are reminded of the fact that that racial abuse still exists, and more often than not, it is dismissed for want of evidence.
In this particular case, however, Anderson has been booked under Article 2.3.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which states: “Where the facts of the alleged incident are not adequately or clearly covered by any of the above offences, conduct that either: (a) is contrary to the spirit of the game; or (b) brings the game into disreputeâ€. Team England, it seems, has lodged a counter-complaint against Ravindra Jadeja.
If we are bickering about an Indian being racially and physically abused by an English player and then charging him with false claims, then we are missing out on the bigger picture. Racial abuse is a serious offence, and whoever engages in it should be slapped with the most stringent punishment. However, if any of the parties is found instigating the offender, he should also be punished equally.
This is the gentleman’s game guys, let’s not desecrate it by indulging in hooliganism. There’s always scope for doing that elsewhere. As sportspersons, these cricketers are adored and emulated by thousands across the globe. Such kind of rougeish behavior isn’t just going to set the wrong example, it is also going to give the junior players to engage in acts very similar. And if this continues, it isn’t long before sport would become a contaminated version of its glorious past.