What happened between Khawaja and the ICC?
Khawaja planned to show his support for Palestine by decorating his bat with the image of the dove accompanied by the message “01: UDHR”, a reference to the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that human rights are universal and inalienable.
According to The Australian newspaper, the ICC has refused to allow him to display this message on his bat.
The ICC Code of Conduct forbids players from wearing, displaying or conveying messages through arm bands or other items on clothing or equipment without prior approval, especially for “political, religious or racial” causes.
However, Khawaja and his supporters point out that this rule has not stopped other players from displaying such messages in the past.
For example, West Indies players were permitted to wear “Black Lives Matter” logos on their shirts during a test series against England in 2020.
In a video he posted on Instagram late on the eve of the second test against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Monday, Khawaja also posted pictures of other international players displaying religious symbols and messages on their bats.
Khawaja’s case is not the only instance when the ICC has blocked a player from displaying such symbols. England’s Moeen Ali was banned from wearing wristbands with the messages, “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine”, during a home test against India in 2014.
