Published: Jul 05, 2016, 11:46 AM (IST)
Edited: Jul 05, 2016, 01:05 PM (IST)
West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels has filed law suit against former Australia fast bowler Geoff Lawson as well as Australian publication News.com.au. This was with regards to the comments that were made against him following his response to the remarks made by former Australia spinner Shane Warne regarding his performance in ICC T20 World Cup last April. On Friday, Samuels aggravated it further by filing law suit against Lawson for his defamatory comments on Big Sports Breakfast radio programme on April 4. The suit mentions on the various malicious and unjustifiable comments that were passed on by Lawson. ALSO READ: Marlon Samuels completes 5,000 ODI runs with a century against Australia in 8th ODI
Lawson said, “He’s tied up with some shady people back in the West Indies. He is a guy you don’t muck around with on or off the field. He’s from Kingston, Jamaica, it’s one of the murder capitals of the world. He’s tied up with gangs there, it goes well beyond cricket.” The law suit is also filed against journalist James Matthey who published the story on news.com.au accusing the West Indies batsman of being involved with criminal gangs in Jamaica. As per the lawyers, the comments are defamatory as well as offensive and as per the criminal investigation no records have been found. Adding fuel to the fire, the comment included had no research nor was Samuels contacted to defend his integrity and image as athlete. ALSO READ: India tougher team for Australia to beat than New Zealand: Geoff Lawson
Samuels who got to know about the case on further investigation and who was named Man of the Match in ICC T20 World Cup added, “Through this case, I intend not only to defend my integrity and my image as a international cricketer but also the values I have defended all my career. I also wish to avoid any public figure from making insulting or false allegations against an athlete using the media, without any evidence or foundation and to go unpunished.”
