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Joe Root: Nothing wrong with being gay

BSM

U19 Cricketer
Can't we just accept that Root is a nice bloke who put down a homophobic slur because he didn't think that it was right? Certainly more believable than this conspiracy that he would potentially ruin Gabriel's reputation to further his own at the end of an already decided test series, which would serve him no lasting and meaningful advantage. I mean lets say he was a c**t who purposefully threw his opponents under the bus to ruin his opponent and make him bowl worse, or even get banned from the team for a few games. Surely he would do this at the start or near-beginning of a series, as Australia attempted a year or so ago with Bairstow? There would be a time and place for underhanded tactics, granted that the player even had the lack of ethics to diminish the reputation of a fellow professional for their own gain in the first place; and that time is not on the last few days of an already decided series
 

TheJediBrah

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Can't we just accept that Root is a nice bloke who put down a homophobic slur because he didn't think that it was right? Certainly more believable than this conspiracy that he would potentially ruin Gabriel's reputation to further his own at the end of an already decided test series, which would serve him no lasting and meaningful advantage. I mean lets say he was a c**t who purposefully threw his opponents under the bus to ruin his opponent and make him bowl worse, or even get banned from the team for a few games. Surely he would do this at the start or near-beginning of a series, as Australia attempted a year or so ago with Bairstow? There would be a time and place for underhanded tactics, granted that the player even had the lack of ethics to diminish the reputation of a fellow professional for their own gain in the first place; and that time is not on the last few days of an already decided series
lol where did this come from

All I said is he probably knew the mics would pick it up and it was a clever little bit of PR* work



*pardon the pun
 
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Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Nah.

Imagine if Gabriel had said "Taxes are great".

If the ICC wanted to punish people for using this sort of offensive language during one of their events they would be perfectly entitled to imo. The fact that this would be contrary to the public policy of whatever nation the match was being held would be irrelevant.
In the principle I certainly agree that the ICC shouldn't try to punish cricketers, fans or cricket boards for the governments in their area being particularly evil, but I can see how it's slightly interesting in this case with the country in question being Sri Lanka, given the disturbing link between the government and the cricket board there. I believe the cricket board there is effectively a government department, which is why you hear so much much about the Sri Lankan Minister for Sport in cricket publications - he has to sign off on any decisions they make, right through to selection.

Looking at it this way, the board kind of is tied in to some extent with whatever government policy is, rather than just being a victim of it like its citizens.

Going down this road you'd definitely have bigger fish to fry than homophobic laws in Sri Lanka though. Until recently the chief patron of Zimbabwe Cricket was Robert Mugabe...
 

sledger

Spanish_Vicente
In the principle I certainly agree that the ICC shouldn't try to punish cricketers, fans or cricket boards for the governments in their area being particularly evil, but I can see how it's slightly interesting in this case with the country in question being Sri Lanka, given the disturbing link between the government and the cricket board there. I believe the cricket board there is effectively a government department, which is why you hear so much much about the Sri Lankan Minister for Sport in cricket publications - he has to sign off on any decisions they make, right through to selection.

Looking at it this way, the board kind of is tied in to some extent with whatever government policy is, rather than just being a victim of it like its citizens.

Going down this road you'd definitely have bigger fish to fry than homophobic laws in Sri Lanka though. Until recently the chief patron of Zimbabwe Cricket was Robert Mugabe...
Yeah, I guess a slightly better analogy would be to imagine you had a house in St Lucia, and you invited Gabriel in, and he started using homophobic language.

If you responded by pursuing a course of private sanction against him (e.g. asking him to leave and banning him from returning), it would be entirely a matter for you, regardless of what the St Lucian laws said on the matter.

Imo this is basically akin to what the ICC will be doing if they decide he's done wrong and want to punish him.

Agree entirely though with the points you make about Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe etc.
 

mr_mister

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Can't we just accept that Root is a nice bloke who put down a homophobic slur because he didn't think that it was right? Certainly more believable than this conspiracy that he would potentially ruin Gabriel's reputation to further his own at the end of an already decided test series, which would serve him no lasting and meaningful advantage. I mean lets say he was a c**t who purposefully threw his opponents under the bus to ruin his opponent and make him bowl worse, or even get banned from the team for a few games. Surely he would do this at the start or near-beginning of a series, as Australia attempted a year or so ago with Bairstow? There would be a time and place for underhanded tactics, granted that the player even had the lack of ethics to diminish the reputation of a fellow professional for their own gain in the first place; and that time is not on the last few days of an already decided series
Reading a tad too much into it mate

Just pointing out the irony of Roots 'leave it on the field' comments
 

Burgey

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According to NZ Herald article Pakistan (and UAE), Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe along with parts of the Windies.

If Gabriel is punished for this, could members of the Barmy Army be as well for their response?
The Barmy Army should be punished for existing tbh. They're woeful.
 

stephen

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Look, Ellen has been campaigning for years for equal rights. Not sure why she'd stop now.
 

Burgey

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The Barmy Army is a lot like England itself. It was once the standard by which other fan groups were measured, but became a pale, pasty and frankly nasty caricature of itself. Just because some **** sits among it and blows a trumpet doesn't make it the greatest popular culture phenomenon since Woodstock. It's just the Pommy version of a pack of bogans sitting there getting sunburned while taking up three seats each with their enormous arses and guts, sucking piss and hurling abuse at opposition players and supporters.

Yet they're meant to be well regarded for some unknown reason.
 

Arachnodouche

International Captain
The way Root was offering his derriere to Wood after every wicket leaves one to wonder if Gabriel wasn't simply making a salient observation.
 
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S.Kennedy

International Vice-Captain
I don't see how anyone can judge this case until in possession of the knowledge of Gabriel's remark(s). Gabriel could have called Root a ''pansy'' for all we know!
 

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