Cricket Australia interim chief-executive Nick Hockley says: "If something has been found, we will act strongly"; six spectators were ejected from SCG on Sunday after complaints of abuse from India bowler Mohammed Siraj
Monday 11 January 2021 11:30, UK
Cricket Australia could hand indefinite bans to any fans found guilty of racially abusing India players during the third Test in Sydney.
CA has launched an investigation with New South Wales Police after India bowler Mohammed Siraj's complaint led to the ejection of six fans from the Sydney Cricket Ground on Sunday.
A day earlier, India lodged a formal complaint after allegations of racial abuse towards Siraj and fellow pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah.
Cricket Australia's interim chief executive Nick Hockley told reporters on Monday: "If something has been found, we will act strongly.
"There are sanctions including anything up to not being permitted to coming into any cricket match under Cricket Australia's jurisdiction for an indefinite period of time.
"We have expressed our concern and our regret that Mohammed Siraj felt the need to go and report in the way that he did.
"We also feel pleased that he could feel safe to do that and now we need to let New South Wales police and our team conduct the investigation."
India captain Ajinkya Rahane spoke about the abuse allegations once the drawn third Test had concluded, telling reporters: "Officials are taking action. What happened was not acceptable at all. It should not happen anywhere in the world. We were really upset about it."
Australia captain Tim Paine also condemned the alleged abuse, adding: "I think it's bitterly disappointing. I'm really disappointed that it happened in Australia. I just wanted the Indian boys to know that we don't condone it."
India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says he has experienced "nasty" behaviour from Sydney crowds in the past following the allegations of abuse the third Test.
Speaking after stumps on day four, Ashwin said: "They have been quite nasty, they have been hurling abuses as well, but this is the time they have gone one step ahead and used racial abuse.
"Personally I think Adelaide and Melbourne weren't as bad. But this has been a continuous thing at Sydney. I have experienced it as well. They do tend to get nasty. I don't know why and for what reason.
"It is definitely not acceptable in this day and age. We have evolved as a society. This must definitely be dealt with with an iron first and we must make sure that it doesn't happen again. Unless it is dealt with, people don't find the reason to look at it in a different way.
"I was quite surprised that some sections of the crowd continuously did it and they were no mates around them to pull them up for it. It definitely had to be dealt with. Disappointing is a very, very mild word, I must say."
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