Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has been warned against showing an on-field message in support of Palestinians at a Test match with Pakistan.
The batter had planned to wear shoes bearing the words “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right”.
Australia’s cricket authority has said Khawaja must abide by international rules prohibiting “personal messages”.
Captain Pat Cummins and Australia’s sport minister have supported Khawaja, but he will no longer wear the shoes.
Khawaja, who is Muslim, was spotted sporting the shoes earlier this week while training for the upcoming Test in Perth and has previously spoken on social media in support of civilians in Gaza.
“Do people not care about innocent humans being killed? Or is it the colour of their skin that makes them less important? Or the religion they practice? These things should be irrelevant if you truly believe that ‘we are all equal’,” he commented on a Unicef Instagram video.
But after news of Khawaja’s plans broke, Cricket Australia on Wednesday put out a statement saying: “We support the right of our players to express personal opinions. But the ICC [International Cricket Council] has rules in place which prohibit the display of personal messages which we expect the players to uphold.”
Cummins later told media Khawaja had decided against wearing the shoes when the Test begins on Thursday.
“I don’t think his intention was to make too big of a fuss,” he said.
“I think he had ‘all lives are equal’. I don’t think that’s very divisive. I don’t think anyone can have too many complaints about that.”
Sport Minister Anika Wells told reporters she did not believe his shoes contravened ICC rules.
“Usman Khawaja is a great athlete and a great Australian. He should have every right to speak up on matters that are important to him. He has done so in a peaceful and respectful way,” she said.
But former Australian cricketers Rodney Hogg and Simon O’Donnell have said the field is not the place for political statements.
“I fully respect Usman Khawaja’s beliefs personally… but while he’s representing Australia he has no right, nil, zero, to bring his personal beliefs and instil those onto others,” O’Donnell told local SEN radio.
Under ICC rules, players and officials cannot display anything on their clothing or equipment without the governing body’s approval, with “potentially divisive” or political messages banned.
The regulations also empower referees to stop players taking the field if they are wearing any “non-compliant” items – as happened in 2014 when England batter Moeen Ali was warned to stop wearing wristbands showing support for Gaza during a Test match with India.
Later, Khawaja posted a video on social media in which he said he would continue to pursue what he described as a “humanitarian appeal”.
“The ICC have told me that I can’t wear my shoes on field, because they believe it’s a political statement under their guidelines. I don’t believe it is,” he said. “I will respect their view and decision but I will fight it and seek to gain approval.”
Khawaja’s social media video took aim at those who had taken offence at his intended gesture. “For everyone who did get offended somehow, is to ask yourself these questions. Is freedom not for everyone? Are all lives not equal?”
All Lives are Equal. Freedom is a Human right. I'm raising my voice for human rights. For a humanitarian appeal. If you see it any other way. That's on you… pic.twitter.com/8eaPnBfUEb
He said he had been called up by “not just a handful” of people who had been offended. “I’m not taking sides, human life to me is equal,” he said. “One Jewish life is equal to one Muslim life is equal to one Hindu life and so on. I’m just speaking up for those who don’t have a voice.”
He said he felt like his life wasn’t equal to others growing up, but “luckily for me, I never lived in a world where that … inequality was life or death.”
Cummins said he was keen to promote an environment in which everyone is able to express themselves. “I think everyone in our team has their own individual thoughts and I love that,” Cummins said. “I think it’s one of our strongest points.
“You want everyone to bring their own individual self to the team. And as I said, I think what was on the shoes – all lives are equal – I mean, I support that.”
MDW Live! News Network 
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has been warned against showing an on-field message in support of Palestinians at a Test match with Pakistan.
The batter had planned to wear shoes bearing the words “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right”.
Australia’s cricket authority has said Khawaja must abide by international rules prohibiting “personal messages”.
Captain Pat Cummins and Australia’s sport minister have supported Khawaja, but he will no longer wear the shoes.
Khawaja, who is Muslim, was spotted sporting the shoes earlier this week while training for the upcoming Test in Perth and has previously spoken on social media in support of civilians in Gaza.
“Do people not care about innocent humans being killed? Or is it the colour of their skin that makes them less important? Or the religion they practice? These things should be irrelevant if you truly believe that ‘we are all equal’,” he commented on a Unicef Instagram video.
But after news of Khawaja’s plans broke, Cricket Australia on Wednesday put out a statement saying: “We support the right of our players to express personal opinions. But the ICC [International Cricket Council] has rules in place which prohibit the display of personal messages which we expect the players to uphold.”
Cummins later told media Khawaja had decided against wearing the shoes when the Test begins on Thursday.
“I don’t think his intention was to make too big of a fuss,” he said.
“I think he had ‘all lives are equal’. I don’t think that’s very divisive. I don’t think anyone can have too many complaints about that.”
Sport Minister Anika Wells told reporters she did not believe his shoes contravened ICC rules.
“Usman Khawaja is a great athlete and a great Australian. He should have every right to speak up on matters that are important to him. He has done so in a peaceful and respectful way,” she said.
But former Australian cricketers Rodney Hogg and Simon O’Donnell have said the field is not the place for political statements.
“I fully respect Usman Khawaja’s beliefs personally… but while he’s representing Australia he has no right, nil, zero, to bring his personal beliefs and instil those onto others,” O’Donnell told local SEN radio.
Under ICC rules, players and officials cannot display anything on their clothing or equipment without the governing body’s approval, with “potentially divisive” or political messages banned.
The regulations also empower referees to stop players taking the field if they are wearing any “non-compliant” items – as happened in 2014 when England batter Moeen Ali was warned to stop wearing wristbands showing support for Gaza during a Test match with India.
Later, Khawaja posted a video on social media in which he said he would continue to pursue what he described as a “humanitarian appeal”.
“The ICC have told me that I can’t wear my shoes on field, because they believe it’s a political statement under their guidelines. I don’t believe it is,” he said. “I will respect their view and decision but I will fight it and seek to gain approval.”
Khawaja’s social media video took aim at those who had taken offence at his intended gesture. “For everyone who did get offended somehow, is to ask yourself these questions. Is freedom not for everyone? Are all lives not equal?”
He said he had been called up by “not just a handful” of people who had been offended. “I’m not taking sides, human life to me is equal,” he said. “One Jewish life is equal to one Muslim life is equal to one Hindu life and so on. I’m just speaking up for those who don’t have a voice.”
He said he felt like his life wasn’t equal to others growing up, but “luckily for me, I never lived in a world where that … inequality was life or death.”
Cummins said he was keen to promote an environment in which everyone is able to express themselves. “I think everyone in our team has their own individual thoughts and I love that,” Cummins said. “I think it’s one of our strongest points.
“You want everyone to bring their own individual self to the team. And as I said, I think what was on the shoes – all lives are equal – I mean, I support that.”
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