Alex Hales Blackface Controversy: England T20 World Cup hero Alex Hales was on Wednesday reprimanded by the England and Wales Cricket Board’s Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) over the 2009 rapper Tupac Shakur-styled picture. The social media post caught the swashbuckling opener in a bad light as he seen wearing a blackface for the fancy dress party. Follow Alex Hales Blackface Controversy LIVE Updates with InsideSport.IN
The picture came to the light for the first time in 2019 when it was published by The Sun. Hales’ had apologised for his ‘incredibly reckless and foolish’ but questioned the need for “repeated publication of these old matters” during the CDC’s investigation. However, the adjudicator Chris Tickle, ruled that “the interests of transparency should prevail”.
Alex Hales Blackface Controversy: England T20 WC Hero REPRIMANDED over 2009 Tupac Shakur-Styled picture at FANCY DRESS party, Check DETAILS
The ECB directive 3.3 states: “No such person may conduct himself in a manner or do any act or omission which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute.”
The England opener admitted to the breach. Meanwhile, an additional charge brought pertaining to the governing body’s anti-discrimination code was dropped by the ECB, while Tickle asserted that Hales’ lack of malicious intent favoured him. Thus, Tickle imposed no fine or remorse on the batter.
“His appreciation of rap music and Tupac was widely known,” Tickle wrote. “He was one of Mr Hales’ favourite musicians. No offence was taken by anyone at the time or subsequently.
“Mr Hales did not believe his actions were racist or offensive at the time, though he has acknowledged that he would not dress in that manner now. He is older and more mature. Given that context, I find that there was no racist or discriminatory intent in dressing as he did and in posing for the photo.”
The CDC is the body that hears disciplinary cases in the professional domestic game in England and Wales. When charges are brought against individual(s) and/or teams, cases progress through the summary procedure or the Disciplinary Hearing procedure outlined in the CDC Regulations.
Meanwhile, former Warwickshire and Derbyshire player Ateeq Javid has also been reprimanded for a series of anti-semitic Facebook messages from 2011 exchanged with Azeem Rafiq.