Cricketers of Indian Descent Subjected to Racial Taunts in Victoria

Cricketers of Indian descent have allegedly been abused racially in Australia, said media reports.

According to a local media report, investigation is on against almost a whole cricket team in Victoria for an alleged on-field incident of sustained racial abuse of players of Indian descent in the course of a match on March 13, reports said.

Witnesses claimed that the racial taunting caused many victims to shed tears and they were even considering quitting the sport, said reports.

The Geelong Advertiser reported that an investigation was initiated by the Geelong Cricket Association on an official written complaint filed by the Waurn Ponds Cricket Club against opposition club Thomson, said reports.

The compliant said that six cricketers of Indian descent belong to Warun Ponds were subjected to a series of racially motivated verbal attacks when fourth-grad qualifying final match was going on Saturday at Grinter Reserve No 2, said reports.

Reports said that comments were allegedly made when the Waurn Ponds team was batting, with requests to stop from both the umpire and several aggrieved players going unheeded.

Waurn Ponds, based at Deakin University, comprises a strong core of international students in its lower grades, with more than a dozen registered players of Indian descent.

The complaint, however, exempted one Thomson player, Paul Welsh, of any wrongdoing, said reports.

In the meanwhile, Thomson denied the allegations and said that it would support the GCA investigation.