Published: Sep 07, 2013, 09:14 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 07, 2013, 09:14 AM (IST)
Fawad Ahmed, a Pakistani refugee was given Australian citizenship earlier this year © Getty Images
Sep 7, 2013
Fawad Ahmed’s being exempted to wear the Australian jersey without the sponsor logo has attracted the ire of the former Australian batsman Doug Walters who said that the leg-spinner shouldn’t be a part of the team if he doesn’t want to wear the team’s clothing. Ahmed, a Muslim refugee from Pakistan who was granted Australian citizenship earlier this year was exempted from sporting the VB logo on his jersey, which is on a beer manufacturer.
The Daily Telegraph quoted Walters, “I think if he doesn’t want to wear the team gear, he should not be part of the team. Maybe if he doesn’t want to be paid that’s OK.”
Geoff Lawson, the former Australian fast bowler said, “”If you don’t agree with the terms you have a choice as to whether you work somewhere else. Players should be able to object on a number of moral grounds — example — against cigarette advertising or perhaps you refuse to play in a country with a military dictatorship or poor human rights record — as long as they don’t accept the payments the sponsor provides”
If that wasn’t enough, Australian rugby player David Campese supported Walter’s views. Mirror reported Campese tweeting, “Doug Walters tells Pakistan-born Fawad Ahmed: if you don’t like the VB uniform, don’t play for Australia. Well said doug. Tell him to go home.”
Earlier, James Sutherland, Cricket Australia’s chief executive had lashed out at the public reaction at Ahmed not wearing the jersey donning the logo.
