Andre Nel 'racially taunted' (Cricket star is WHITE, was playing in Sydney, Australia)

News 24 (South Africa) ^ | January 4, 2006 | John Pye

[Stoat]

Andre Nel 'racially taunted'
04/01/2006 12:35  - (SA)  

SA's Andre Nel, left, avoids a running Australian batsman Andrew Symonds after he trapped him lbw for 11 runs on the third day of their third Cricket Test. (Rick Rycroft, AP)

John Pye

 

Sydney - South Africa fast bowler Andre Nel said he was racially taunted on Wednesday by a spectator at the Sydney Cricket Ground, an issue that threatens to overshadow the test series in Australia.

Nel told South Africa captain Graeme Smith he'd been subjected to racist abuse when he was fielding near the boundary on the third day of the third cricket test.

Smith informed the umpires, who later told International Cricket Council match referee Chris Broad.

Australian cricket authorities sent extra security staff to that section of the crowd, but could not find the reported culprit.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland ordered public announcements and statements on the scoreboard be made condemning racial vilification.

"It's disappointing," said South Africa coach Mickey Arthur. "None of the team minds abuse because it happens in any country, but we feel once it becomes a racist taunt then the boundaries are being overstepped.

"The South African team categorically deplores that type of behaviour."

Arthur said he didn't think there was more he could do than alert match officials and organisers.

"I don't think we can do too much more other than just make our point that we categorically deplore it and we do feel that boundaries are being crossed when that sort of thing transpires out there," he said.

Nel, who is white, is regularly booed when he fields on the boundary, although Arthur said the chanting was generally good natured.

But "there was an incident and it was clearly visible to most people around the ground and to the television and media and we had to make a statement on it," he said.

Arthur said the issue would not affect the way South Africa played on Thursday, when it would resume at four for one wicket, an overall lead of 96 over Australia with two days remaining in the third test.

Sutherland said Cricket Australia had a "zero tolerance view toward racism" and would take strong measures against anyone caught making racial taunts, including potential to ban perpetrators from grounds.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who scored his 27th test hundred on Wednesday, said he was disappointed to hear about the taunts.

"You'd think that the crowds around Australia would listen as to how unacceptable it is," he said. "I ask the crowd to show a bit more respect than what's being shown to the South Africans right at the moment.

Racism is "unacceptable and we would like to think that it won't happen again for the rest of this game."

In the first test in Perth last month, South African players Makhaya Ntini, Justin Prince, Garnett Kruger and Shaun Pollock were taunted in Afrikaans.

In the second test at Melbourne last week a man was ejected from the ground and original reports indicated it related to racist remarks toward Nel.

Nel, an aggressive paceman, was South Africa's leading bowler on Wednesday, taking 4-81.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Umm,allow me to tell a thing or 2 about cricket & cricket spectators in general.Like all sport,cricket also has it's fair share of hooligans in it's fanbase,which is visible in every following nation.But,for right or for wrong,Australian fans have always been viewed as illmannered.Indian,Pakistani,South African & even English players have been subject to abuse(racial or otherwise).The last time South Africa toured Australia,in 2001-02,much the same allegations came up.

About Nel,well if he complains,it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black.He is one perv who get's hauled up or fined for one of every 2 matches he plays and the way he abuses opposing players is open to all.

[Stoat]

Thank you very much for the insights.  I confess I know nothing about cricket....I haven't followed the sport because it doesn't have cheerleaders   :-)

[sukhoi-30mki]

Well that's changing-you have such things happening in heavy duty locations like India & the United Arab Emirates when matches are played there as well as shorter instant cricket matches like the '20-20' version being played in England.

[Stoat]

Wow, I appreciate that, thank you. I will watch for photos of upcoming events of that type.

Seems odd to me though that something like cheerleading would be allowed in the UAE.....I've never been there but I would have thought that they wouldn't allow women to participate in such a thing.

As to the race thing, do you think that it would be pretty common for hooligan fans to be yelling such stuff in a packed stadium with no fear of reprisal? I think that here in the USA if somebody were to yell out such a thing they would be beaten to a pulp by the other fans and also arrested by the police.

[sukhoi-30mki]

About the racial taunts,well it actually works in a disjointed manner.You see,most of it is directed at those players who stand on the boundaryline(or rather field there) & not precisely at the time.So you can say Nel got the abuse when he was standing there & not when he was bowling(which was inaudible anyway).A player standing near the boundary can pretty much hear what spectators say so only one person needs to do all the damage.The fact that he maybe heckled or arrested is another thing,though that's pretty rare unless clear religious provocation or physical force(throwing of missiles etc) is used.For eg,the current captain of Pakistan was prosecuted in 1997 in a Canadian court because he took out his bat to club an Indian spectator who called him an 'aloo'(potato) when India & Pakistan were playing in Toronto.

The UAE is pretty much a happening place when it comes to sport esp Dubai & Abu Dhabi.The cheerleaders you see there,though are a weebit more well clothed than Western ones!!!!

[wardaddy]

It's about time suga dear....you know we peckerwoods are a mighty sensitive lot..lol

This just sounds to me like folks getting one another's goat....whatever happened to sticks and stones anyhow?

[saveliberty]

Thank you for adding that information. :-)

[Stoat]

Thank you very much....that's fascinating! The bit about being called a potato is a hoot! Do you know why this is regarded as an insult? Just curious.

[sukhoi-30mki]

In the subcontinent(northern India & much of Pakistan),the term aloo(or potato) is used in a derogatory manner for folks who are on the plum side & the player involved,Inzammam Ul Haq is indeed very well endowed.So the poor fellow took it as an insult,which came with added salt as the idiot calling it was an Indian immigrant.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Inzy Haq!!

[Fair Go]

At least they didn't call him a "chucker" - surely the worst insult of all!

[ajat]

I'd be pleased if you were able to furnish some evidences about 'Nel is one perv' ; presuming of course that you are aware of the word from which 'perv' is derived.
Thank you.

[sukhoi-30mki]

I have been following cricket for a very very long time.Why don't you help yourself by typing Andre Nel into google & also try 'Andre Nel+ Sledging'.

I am very well aware of what perv means & Nel deserves that giving the disgraceful manner he behaves in.