RACIAL ABUSE CHARGE
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Harbhajan banned for 3 Tests; tour to go on
Published on Sun, Jan 06, 2008 at 19:25, Updated on Mon, Jan 07, 2008 at 03:02 in Sports section
Tags: Harbhajan Singh, Andrew Symonds , Sydney
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Sydney: Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has been banned for three Test matches for racially abusing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Mike Procter went with the Australian team’s version during the hearing that went on for more than six hours and decided to punish the Indian off-spinner.
According to the ICC's statement Harbhajan called Symonds a 'monkey' and it was a racial abuse on the basis of race and ethnic origin.
"I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Harbhajan Singh directed that word at Andrew Symonds and also that he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds’ race or ethnic origin,” Proctor said.
The ban comes into effect with immediate effect but the player could lodge an appeal with the ICC's legal counsel (Commissioner of Appeals) in writing within 24 hours.
Harbhajan can represent India while the appeal is under consideration.
However, Indian manager Chetan Chauhan said that Harbhajan has been unfairly banned for three Test matches.
"Our points were ignored in the meeting. We think this ban is unfair," Chauhan said.
"The match referee was of the opinion that choice of words should be correct even if there was a provocation. He was satisfied that the players who accused Harbhajan said the truth. He said that this kind of incident has happened before in India and Harbhajan apologised to Symonds and the ban is in keeping with the earlier incident," he said.
Chauhan also reacted angrily about the poor umpiring in the second Test that India lost by 122 runs.
"We don't want these (Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson) umpires in the future matches. Incompetent umpiring has cost us this match," he said.
Reacting to the ban, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Vice-President Rajeev Shukla said that the Board would contest the ban.
"Both Harbhajan and BCCI will appeal against the ban within 24 hours," Shukla said.
BCCI Chief Administrative Manager Ratnakar Shetty said, "We will advise the team management on the future course of action. We will appeal against the decision. We will provide Harbhajan whatever legal help he needs."
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URBANEYE
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Shameful... BCCI --any one with spine in BCCI? Act now and act definitively. This injustice should not go on. Hello
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The underlining statement is Ponting is Bhajji's BUNNY & he was looking for an excuse to bail himself out of
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Name calling is a bad habit. Cricketers are learning it from secular politicians. Other countries have law to punish name
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This is pathetic.! It was a match of 9 vs 13. Not to mention the way Aussies played this game.
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Raise Against Neocolonial Oppression
As I am writing, Harbajan has been banned for three tests. I am aghast at the Match
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