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Fans, journalists, and observers flooded social media with messages in support of Australian opener Usman Khawaja, who vowed to fight the ICC's ban on him from wearing shoes with pro-freedom and pro-equality slogans in a Test.
Khawaja wore shoes written with "Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal" in a practice session for Australia on Tuesday. He told reporters he was planning to wear them on Day 1 of Australia's Perth Test against Pakistan on Thursday.
However, Cricket Australia (CA) jumped in and barred him from wearing the shoes, citing the ICC's rules against 'political' messaging. In response, Khawaja put out an emotional video on Wednesday, saying although he won't wear the shoes concerning the ICC's decision, he'd fight for approval to wear them in the future.
He also said that, according to him, his call for freedom and equality for all humankind wasn't political or divisive. Khawaja added that he feels for the thousands of children who have died in the Israel-Palestine war.
Users on X commended his bravery in openly speaking against the authorities. Some pointed to the ICC's alleged 'hypocrisy' in allowing demonstrations in favor of the Black Lives Matter moment from most teams during the 2021 T20 World Cup, which was an unambiguously political movement.
Check the top reactions here:
The ICC keeps the right to ban messages related to "political, religious or racial activities or causes" as they can be divisive in a sport meant to unite communities. It says in its codes that it judges such instances on a case-by-case basis.
"I am not taking sides" - Usman Khawaja
In a powerful statement, Khawaja, an Australian Muslim of Pakistani origins, also talked about how growing up he always felt that he wasn't treated equally as others, but that inequality never meant a difference between life and death.
"What I have written on my shoes isn't political. I am not taking sides. Human life, to me, is equal. One Jewish life is equal to one Muslim life is equal to one Hindu life and so on. I am just speaking up for those who don't have a voice," Khawaja said.
"This is close to my heart. When I say thousands of innocent children dying without any repercussions or remorse, I imagine my two girls. What if this was them? No one chooses where they are born. And now I see the world turn their backs on them. My heart can't take it. I already felt my life wasn't equal to others when I was growing up. Luckily for me, I never lived in a world where that lack of equality was life or death," he continued.
The opening batter also said he received tons of calls of dissent since the news came out, adding that people taking offense to the slogans were part of the "bigger problem".
