Ponting condemns racial slurs against South Africans

PERTH (Australia)—Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has condemned spectators who made racist taunts to South African players during the first Test match in Perth.
South Africa’s management has officially complained about the abuse to International Cricket Council match referee Chris Broad and John Rhodes, the head of the ICC’s Regional Anti-Corruption and Security unit.
Ponting, speaking here Wednesday before the Australian team flew to Melbourne for the second Test, said he was disappointed to hear some spectators had made racist remarks and the Australian players had not been aware it was happening.
“There’s no room in sport for racism whatsoever”, Ponting said.
“The players are all very aware of that, the crowd needs to be aware of that and enjoy the game for what it is.
“Neither myself or any of the players knew anything about this matter until a fair while after the game had finished.
“But it’s disappointing to think that would have happened”.
Ponting said banter and “sledging” from opposition crowds was one thing, but racism was not acceptable.
“You do expect (sledging from crowds), it happens all over the world,” he said. “But the racism part of it is not part of international sport.
“The last couple of tours we’ve been on, New Zealand has probably been the worst ... and England we copped a bit over there as well.
“You expect that everywhere you go, but certainly not something that’s going to offend anybody”.
A statement issued by the South African team late on Tuesday said racial slurs and chants had been directed at Ashwell Prince, Garnett Kruger, Shaun Pollock, Justin Kemp and Makhaya Ntini during Sunday’s third day of the Test.
The management has asked for security to be stepped up to help ensure any repetition of the abuse during the next two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.
The next Test starts in Melbourne on Boxing Day.
Cricket Australia also issued a statement saying it had a zero tolerance approach to racist behaviour by anyone involved with cricket, including spectators.
It said spectators who made racist comments would be thrown out of the ground immediately.
ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said the world body had discussed the issue with its Australian and South African counterparts.
“Cricket Australia has reaffirmed its commitment to the ICC’s anti-racism policy and has emphasised that it is taking the matter very seriously,” he said in a statement.
“It has also briefed the ICC on the steps that it is taking to deal with this issue and I would hope that all cricket fans in Australia will support Cricket Australia’s efforts to avoid a repeat of this behaviour.
“Respect for each other is a key component of the game and racist comments have no place in cricket”.—Agencies