Opinion: Why Shannon Gabriel's ban is unjustified

Why should the values of some be imposed on everyone?

ICC has to remain neutral on social values otherwise it would create many problems

There is another very important aspect of this case that shouldn’t be overlooked. By putting a ban of four matches on Shannon Gabriel, the ICC has shown an inclination to impose the contemporary cultural values of the western world on the rest.

Cricket is a global game and is played in countries with diverse cultural and religious sensitivities. It’s played in countries where the majority are Muslims, those where Hinduism and Buddhism are predominant and of course, Christian-dominant nations.

There is also great racial diversity in the cricket community. Therefore, the global body that administers cricket should not get involved in socio-political issues which are not generating the same response across the board.

Some of the cricket-playing nations do not support – legally – gay marriage (legal in England) or even recognize homosexuality. Is the ICC going to de-bar those countries from playing cricket? Is it going to shift its headquarters from UAE where homosexuality is illegal? Did the ICC expel India – the country which generates around 3/4th of its revenue - from its community when homosexuality was a crime here?

Of course, the argument would be that gay rights is a fundamental human rights issues on which there could be no compromise. But don’t forget that these same western countries which are now lecturing the world on the necessity to accept their view on this issue also regarded the superiority of the white race as equally an unquestionable principle some decades ago.

Belief in racism was as strong and considered as virtuous in places like Australia and England some decades ago as belief in LGBT rights. Let’s not forget that South Africa were allowed to play cricket till 1970 despite their cruel apartheid regime and refusal to play against teams which were not full of white players.

The English official cricket fraternity, which is now gloating over the supposed moral superiority of its Test captain, decided to not pick Basil d’Oliviera in its initial squad meant for the tour of South Africa in 1970. It was only later, when public pressure grew, that it changed its stance.

Even though South Africa were subsequently banned from international cricket but Margaret Thatcher’s tacit support to the apartheid regime is well-known. Australia too didn’t treat its native non-white population too well. Yet, neither country faced any kind of ostracization. So, it is a bit rich for them to be imposing the values which they now associate with over the rest of the world.