Romeo
25 Jan 2007, 20:05
I still find it a bit odd that he misses matches for a few injudicious comments while cheating Asif is allowed to play.
Gibbs 'no racist'
Johannesburg - ICC appeals commissioner Richie Benaud may have rejected Herschelle Gibbs's appeal against a two Test match ban, but he says there's no evidence that Gibbs's comments were racially motivated.
Gibbs will miss one Test match and two ODIs following Benaud's decision on Thursday.
The original punishment was a two Test ban, but Benaud has ruled this will now be one Test and two ODIs, and the ban has to apply to the next matches the player is scheduled to play.
By appealing, Gibbs was able to take part in the second Test. He will now miss South Africa's third Test against Pakistan starting in Cape Town on Friday as well as the first two ODIs of the five-match series between the two sides.
The charge against Gibbs, which was laid by Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, related to an incident, which took place shortly before the lunch interval on the fourth day of the match between South Africa and Pakistan, when Gibbs's comments were overheard through a stump microphone on the ground.
Benaud spoke at length on the telephone to Gibbs and his legal representative on Wednesday.
"It was put to me that the fact the remarks in question were heard through stump microphones on the ground should invalidate the whole matter," Benaud said, explaining that the ICC was aware that there were issues with stump microphones not being switched off at the right times.
"That though is ICC policy rather than a Law or Playing Condition of the game and Chris Broad, in his decision, gave Gibbs full mitigation for the fact that the stump microphones had been left on by the television network.
SA players did not draw attention to abuse
"With the benefit of some experience I am able to add that players, no matter where they may be, should always bear in mind that a microphone could be live. That does not just apply to stump microphones used by television networks, but it could be in a radio studio or in a press conference with the print media.
"There is no malice about it, but it could happen just because someone has not pushed a button or pulled a switch.
"It is precisely the same in the television commentary box for a television commentator. If you do not use the words, they do not get to air."
However, Benaud said he did not believe there was any evidence that Gibbs's comments were in any way racially motivated.
"I certainly do not consider Herschelle to be a racist and I take great exception to the suggestion, in the same way I believe Chris Broad would object (to suggestions his finding would do the same)."
Benaud also expressed surprise South Africa's players did not draw the attention of match officials to the abuse they were receiving from sections of the crowd. "I find it extraordinary that apparently the umpires were never brought into the problem by the captain, or the players. Or by Gibbs himself. "On the question of procedural matters, I am satisfied that Chris Broad handled those in straightforward fashion, that no justice was denied, the player admitted using the words and unfortunately they went to the world. My view is that the sentence imposed by Broad is correct and accordingly the appeal is dismissed.
Gibbs 'no racist'
Johannesburg - ICC appeals commissioner Richie Benaud may have rejected Herschelle Gibbs's appeal against a two Test match ban, but he says there's no evidence that Gibbs's comments were racially motivated.
Gibbs will miss one Test match and two ODIs following Benaud's decision on Thursday.
The original punishment was a two Test ban, but Benaud has ruled this will now be one Test and two ODIs, and the ban has to apply to the next matches the player is scheduled to play.
By appealing, Gibbs was able to take part in the second Test. He will now miss South Africa's third Test against Pakistan starting in Cape Town on Friday as well as the first two ODIs of the five-match series between the two sides.
The charge against Gibbs, which was laid by Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, related to an incident, which took place shortly before the lunch interval on the fourth day of the match between South Africa and Pakistan, when Gibbs's comments were overheard through a stump microphone on the ground.
Benaud spoke at length on the telephone to Gibbs and his legal representative on Wednesday.
"It was put to me that the fact the remarks in question were heard through stump microphones on the ground should invalidate the whole matter," Benaud said, explaining that the ICC was aware that there were issues with stump microphones not being switched off at the right times.
"That though is ICC policy rather than a Law or Playing Condition of the game and Chris Broad, in his decision, gave Gibbs full mitigation for the fact that the stump microphones had been left on by the television network.
SA players did not draw attention to abuse
"With the benefit of some experience I am able to add that players, no matter where they may be, should always bear in mind that a microphone could be live. That does not just apply to stump microphones used by television networks, but it could be in a radio studio or in a press conference with the print media.
"There is no malice about it, but it could happen just because someone has not pushed a button or pulled a switch.
"It is precisely the same in the television commentary box for a television commentator. If you do not use the words, they do not get to air."
However, Benaud said he did not believe there was any evidence that Gibbs's comments were in any way racially motivated.
"I certainly do not consider Herschelle to be a racist and I take great exception to the suggestion, in the same way I believe Chris Broad would object (to suggestions his finding would do the same)."
Benaud also expressed surprise South Africa's players did not draw the attention of match officials to the abuse they were receiving from sections of the crowd. "I find it extraordinary that apparently the umpires were never brought into the problem by the captain, or the players. Or by Gibbs himself. "On the question of procedural matters, I am satisfied that Chris Broad handled those in straightforward fashion, that no justice was denied, the player admitted using the words and unfortunately they went to the world. My view is that the sentence imposed by Broad is correct and accordingly the appeal is dismissed.