Published: May 18, 2013, 02:51 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 23, 2014, 09:14 PM (IST)
David Warner could face Cricket Australia (CA) inquiry after his outburst on Twitter on Saturday © Getty Images
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
An avalanche of controversies has hit the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL). In the backdrop of the spot-fixing affair, David Warner’s abusive tweets directed at two journalists have caused a stir, with Cricket Australia (CA) taking a grave view of the matter. One of the two journalists in question wrote an article critical of the IPL, which attracted Warner’s attention.
This isn’t the first time Warner has got into trouble due to his indiscretions on Twitter. In 2011, he was involved in an altercation with former Australia fast bowler Brett Geeves on a public platform. CA pulled them up and warned them over the tirade. Two years down the line, Warner is in the centre of another Twitter storm.
In this modern age, social media has truly expanded the horizons of human interaction. Nothing is hidden in the internet world and information is out in the open. A post on social media can be accessed by millions and statements made there have a much larger impact when compared to an earlier era. No one can deny making certain comments if they are there on the large platform —for everybody to see.
Cricket has witnessed its fair share of controversies that stemmed from the social media. The most significant example is that of Lalit Modi. His very downfall started as a result of his tweets. He revealed the ownership details of Kochi Tuskers Kerala and directed a few tweets at Union Minister Shashi Tharoor. That sparked a chain of events that ultimately saw Modi suspended from the post of IPL Commissioner and leave the country. Tharoor was also a casualty, as he had to resign from the Ministry.
Modi’s Twitter outbursts came back to haunt him when Chris Cairns sued him for libel. In 2010, Modi tweeted that the New Zealand all-rounder had indulged in match-fixing at the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Cairns sued him in London and was awarded damages to the tune of $949,000 (including court costs).
Former New Zealand Cricketer Chris Cairns (left) and his wife Mel Croser arrive at the High Court on March 5, 2012 in London, England. Cairns sued Lalit Modi, former Commissioner of Indian Premier League cricket, for libel after a tweet in January 2010 alleged that he [Cairns] was involved in match fixing © Getty Images
Jesse Ryder, the New Zealand batsman once took to Twitter to voice his disappointment at being run-out in a domestic game. It was directed at his partner on the day and New Zealand Cricket (NZC) did not take it kindly. Then we also have the example of controversy’s favourite child, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth. During this IPL, he went berserk on Twitter with regards to the infamous slap-gate involving him and Harbhajan Singh.
Being public figures, the responsibility of cricketers and administrators is even greater while using the social media. While such incidents may not reflect well on the sport, ultimately they are the ones who will bear the brunt. Players can get into serious problems with the administration or run into a legal mess. Leaving that aside, these things only go on to damage their own reputations as they are tagged as people who lose it at the hint of provocation.
Warner had his experience in the past and it is clear that he hasn’t learnt from it. The lessons of this whole incident are there for the cricketers to see.
(Nishad Pai Vaidya is a Correspondent with cricketcountry.com and anchor for the site’s YouTube Channel. His Twitter handle is @nishad_44)
