Cricket abuse is workplace bullying
There’s no need for fans to shout anything at players, racist or not, writes Lisa Sthalekar.
Sitting in the studio in Melbourne on Sunday, I was marvelling that Australia may have finally found the all-important No 6, with Cameron Green showcasing his abilities, when play was suddenly halted as the umpires reacted to a complaint made by Indian fast bowler Mohammed Siraj about a number of patrons at the SCG. The moment soured. Why is this abuse still happening?
I understand there is an ongoing investigation around what was said, and whether it was racial or not. But does it really matter? Why do fans feel the need to shout out anything negative towards players? They are in their workplace.
How would you feel if you rocked up to work tomorrow and were belittled verbally about how slowly you type, what you wear, or just how bad you are at your job? That is called workplace bullying, and there are laws to protect us. So why don’t we show the respect to players that we expect from others when we attend our workplace?
Australia has been in a fortunate position since the pandemic hit: by limiting the number of cases in our country, we can in turn allow spectators to be at the venue to watch their heroes and stars up close. Why abuse that privilege?
Australians fans should be celebrating that we are the lucky few compared with so many fans around the world. We can take in the atmosphere and excitement that live sports provide.
Many players in the Big Bash, including Green, have commented that playing in front of live crowds again has been special. It has reminded them of why they love their job, entertaining the fans and seeing the smiles and cheers from admirers. It’s baffling that anyone would want to spoil this atmosphere.
A lesson I learnt while playing for Australia, where you tour for long periods of time with the same group of people, is how your behaviour can impact your teammates in unanticipated ways. And how what you find funny or clever can be interpreted completely differently by the person who might be at the end of that joke. It doesn’t matter if your intention was to just have fun or muck around; it is more important how the person it was directed at has taken it. Some of those in the crowd at the weekend might keep that in mind.
It is well documented that Siraj has recently been through a lot. He lost his father at the end of November, while out here in Australia. He declined an offer from the the Board of Control for Cricket in India to fly home to join his family. In an interview that featured on the board’s Twitter feed, he said of his father: ‘‘It’s a great loss for me. He wished that I continue playing for India and make my country proud. I just want to fulfil my father’s dream.’’
He did exactly that a month later when he donned the India cap with pride when he made his debut at the MCG for the Boxing Day test. At the start of the latest test, a tear rolled down his cheek as he sang the Indian anthem with pride.
I am saddened that a young man who should be on an absolute high may walk away from this tour with negative memories of the SCG, a place so dear to me, as it is my home ground.
The bright spot in this sorry episode is how well the umpires, Paul Reiffel and Paul Wilson, handled the situation. I have never seen a game of cricket stopped for that period of time for something like this, and it shows that officials are now taking abuse seriously.
However, it is up to all of us to think before we yell out something at a sporting venue, or anywhere else for that matter. We can be so much better. – Fairfax
Lisa Sthalekar is a former member of the Australian women’s cricket team and is now a coach and commentator on the Sports Entertainment Network.