Cricketer Usman Khawaja challenging the banning of wearing messages supporting Palestine is the latest example of athletes countering the idea that 'sports and politics don't mix'. Alex Salmon reports.
Cricket
The Sri Lankan government is hoping the Australian cricket tour will distract from the economic and political crisis engulfing the country, writes Binoy Kampmark.
Refugees recently released from the Park Hotel detention centre organised the “First taste of freedom — game not over yet” cricket match. Mayura Ashok reports.
Afghanistan, a country gripped by misery, tyranny and an uncertain future, is having moments of joy and pride, thanks to the men’s national cricket team, reports Yasmeen Afghan.
In post-9/11 Afghanistan, music and cricket became an escape from the twin violence of United States occupation and Taliban terrorism. Farooq Sulehria reports that with the return of the Taliban these cultural activities are now under attack.
Alex Salmon reviews a new book by anti-Apartheid activists about how sport both upheld the racist status quo and became a crucial site of resistance.
The Tasmanian Liberal government might have hoped that by announcing on July 2 that it had secured an abortion provider whose services are due to open in October, the “abortion issue” might have gone away.
It is a vain hope.
Cricket Australia's decision to sack Angela Williamson on June 29 because of her tweets campaigning for abortion access in Tasmania, and her subsequent decision to go public and appeal to the Fair Work Commission, has reignited the issue.
In 1513, Niccolo Machiavelli, arguably the finest political theorist of his time, used his famous work The Prince to tease out “means and ends” theory. He concluded that when it came to the exercise of power, a ruler should use any methods available to maintain stability. The means are irrelevant if the ends are positive enough to trump them.
While Australia and Sri Lanka battled it out at the Sydney Cricket Ground early this month, a Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seeker on a bridging visa living in Hamilton Hill, a victim of torture, died in Fremantle Hospital after attempting suicide last Thursday.
The tragic event played out as momentum grows for a boycott of Sri Lankan cricket, lead by former cricket writer for The Age Trevor Grant.
A protest to boycott Sri Lankan cricket was held in Melbourne on December 26.
Photos by Tony Iltis.
The world of international cricket has been rocked by allegations of a betting scandal involving players in Pakistan’s national cricket team. British tabloid News of the World published allegations that Pakistan players had bowled “no-balls” at an exact moment in the game in return for money from bookmakers. The scandal has also raised speculation of Pakistan players being involved in match-fixing on behalf of bookmakers. Three Pakistani players have been suspended from international cricket and charged by the International Cricket Council over their alleged role in the scandal.
I have been a fan of many sports for a very long time. I have especially followed the game of cricket for more than 50 years and I have to confess to having spent more time watching, listening and reading about it than almost any other topic.
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