Moeen Ali and the 'Free Gaza' wrist band

[Marius]

What do you guys think about Moeen Ali and his 'Free Gaza' wristband he wore? Should he be sanctioned?

I personally agree with Ali's opinion, but the ICC regulations seem pretty clear, players may not wear any paraphernalia or clothing related to a political, religious, or racial cause.

I think he should therefore be sanctioned, although that will cause an absolute pooh storm I think. What do you guys reckon?

 

[Hurricane]

Yes he broke the rules. He should be punished. The matter is confused because it appears he standing up for his religious beliefs in a very roundabout and not obvious way. Doesn't matter if he is or isn't. Fine him.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I'm with Cribb. He should be free. Free to do what he wants to do. If he wants to get loaded and have a good time. Let him have a party.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

No problem with it, his belief why stop him from showing it. Not like it some crazy thing he is supporting.

I can see why people say to keep politics out of sport but he is only being true to himself.

 

[Bahnz]

I can't remember, did Flower and Olonga get a fine for the black armband stunt back in 03?

 

[Hurricane]

If there wasn't a rule against it then I wouldn't care. But there is a rule. it is a sensible rule. And it must be enforced. The only time you don't enforce a rule is where the law is an ass. And this rule is a good one for about a million different reasons.

 

[Hurricane]

I'm with Cribb. He should be free. Free to do what he wants to do. If he wants to get loaded and have a good time. Let him have a party.

I take it all back I am now on his side because of this post. If Cribb is saying that he should be free to do whatever he wants then who can argue with that logic. Certainly not me. If he wants to give the crowd a brown eye during the drinks break then he should also have the freedom to do that as well.

I have printed out all Cribb's post from the past 3 weeks and I have distributed them in a booklet to the people of Upper Hutt - I am not expecting an uprising but I am expecting a cultural awakening.

 

[G.I.Joe]

It's a win win situation. Fine him and you just end up drawing more attention to his cause.

The Streisand effect is Marketing 101.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I have printed out all Cribb's post from the past 3 weeks and I have distributed them in a booklet to the people of Upper Hutt - I am not expecting an uprising but I am expecting a cultural awakening.

Can you define a cultural awakening in Upper Hutt for me? Is this opting to have a pint of Tui rather than Double Brown?

 

[Hurricane]

Can you define a cultural awakening in Upper Hutt for me? Is this opting to have a pint of Tui rather than Double Brown?

It would be inviting you to visit our Mitre 10.

 

[fredfertang]

Sport is supposed to be a unifying force for the greater good and not a divisive one that polarises opinion - his motives are laudable but he needs his arse kicked bloody hard

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Banned from wearing them by ICC.

End of discussion.

 

[Maximas]

Yeah don't bring politics into sport, just play the game, that's what everyone's there for

 

[stumpski]

I wonder whether he asked Moores or Cook what they thought about it before putting it on. I don't think there needs to be any punishment as such, just a word from the match referee this morning to remind him that that sort of thing's not allowed.

Does he have it on today?

 

[andmark]

I can't really see how we can totally keep politics out of sport though. If we take a worst case scenario and say North Korea were somehow given the Olympic Games; no sane country would go. So clearly there is a limit as to how far a lack off politics in sport can go. I'm unsure if Ali and Gaza are such an occasion.

 

[Marius]

I can't really see how we can totally keep politics out of sport though. If we take a worst case scenario and say North Korea were somehow given the Olympic Games; no sane country would go. So clearly there is a limit as to how far a lack off politics in sport can go. I'm unsure if Ali and Gaza are such an occasion.

Ali can easily make his feelings about Gaza known, and he has, indeed, already done so, by helping out a charity that is supporting the people there.

He didn't have to wear the wrist band too.

It is nice to know that not all international cricketers are soulless robots without opinions though.

 

[andmark]

Ali can easily make his feelings about Gaza known, and he has, indeed, already done so, by helping out a charity that is supporting the people there.

He didn't have to wear the wrist band too.

It is nice to know that not all international cricketers are soulless robots without opinions though.

The problem then though is that he got next to no publicity for it; whereas this is making mainstream-not just sport- news

 

[Marius]

The problem then though is that he got next to no publicity for it; whereas this is making mainstream-not just sport- news

Would people be so supportive of a cricketer if say, Jimmy Anderson, wore a UKIP bracelet or something?

 

[NZTailender]

A rather glib observation but if 'the game is the game, no politics' is the attitude, what about South Africa and apartheid?

 

[Maximas]

Obviously politics is going to impact sport at times, not trying to deny that, but I see no need for individual players to use the world stage of a test match to show their political beliefs, it's just not the right place to do it IMO