LG first to pull plug on Warner contract
Multinational electronics company LG has opted not to renew its contract with David Warner following the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa and the banned Australian was also barred from this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) on Wednesday.
Former Australia captain Steve Smith and vice-captain Warner have both been slapped with 12-month bans from international and domestic cricket for their role in a scandal that has rocked the sport.
Cameron Bancroft, who was caught on camera attempting to scuff up the ball with improvised sandpaper during the Cape Town test, was banned for nine months.
Even before Cricket Australia banned Warner and announced he would never be considered for a team leadership position again, LG said on Wednesday the company would not be giving 31-year-old a new deal.
SYDNEY:
‘WON’T RENEW DEAL’
“LG’s current sponsorship of David Warner is in the final weeks and in light of recent events, we have decided not to renew our partnership,” an LG spokeswoman said in a statement. Opening batsman Warner first started working with LG as the South Korean company’s brand ambassador in 2014.
Several of CA’s major sponsors, including cereal maker Sanitarium, have said they would await the results of a full investigation into the scandal before deciding on the future of their deals with the governing body.
The Australian cricket team has always believed it could win in any situation against any opposition, by playing combative, skilful and fair. It’s one of those things that continually, over a period of time, builds and builds and unfortunately on this occasion it’s gone too far.