Harbhajan cleared of racism charge
Adelaide, Jan.29 (ANI): Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was cleared of a racism charge by an appeals court headed by a New Zealand judge here today. He was instead charged 50 per cent of his match fee for offensive behaviour, and his offence was revised from a Level Three one to a Level Two under the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Code of Conduct for players.
New Zealand Judge John Hansen’s verdict has been welcomed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which had said that racism remark against Harbhajan would not be accepted and warned that it would abandon the tour of Australia if the charge stood.
BCCI President Sharad Pawar said he was “happy” over the decision and confirmed that the Indian team’s Australia-tour would continue.
Earlier, Australia had insisted that the spinner should not be totally exonerated, while reportedly agreeing to drop the racism charge against Harbhajan.
Accompanied by Indian media manager Dr MV Sridhar, Harbhajan arrived at the Federal Court in Adelaide this morning to give his side of the story on the episode in the Sydney cricket Test in connection with the ICC Code of Conduct appeal.
It maybe recalled that a three Test match had been imposed on Harbhajan by matchreferee Mike Procter at the end of the controversy-ridden second Test between India and Australia played at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney.
Harbhajan was accused of calling Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds a “big monkey” during the Sydney Test.
Indian players had reacted strongly to the charges against the off-spinner. Senior player Sachin Tendulkar maintained that Harbhajan had not said anything racist to Symonds during the confrontation in Sydney. (ANI)
Related posts:
- Fans jubilant as Harbhajan is cleared of racial abuse charge
- Oz cricketers furious over Harbhajan `racism’ controversy ruling
- Harbhajan Singh banned for three Tests
- Harbhajan `racial charge’ appeal gets underway in Adelaide court
- Sydney episode imbibed spirit, passion in us and led to Perth win: Harbhajan
- Team India’s Australian tour suspended
- Harbhajan Singh’s monkey taunt ‘not racist’, say Indian Australians
- Harbhajan’s family celebrates victory of truth
- New Zealand judge to hear Bhajji’s appeal: ICC
- ICC removes Bucknor, Billy Bowden to take charge
- Stump mike could be used as evidence in Harbhajan appeal
- Mike Procter defends ban on Harbhajan Singh
- Team India delays departure to Canberra
- Indian team arrives in Canberra, to take on ACT XI
- Harbhajan Singh reprimanded for breaching ICC Code of Conduct