Australia’s star opener David Warner launched an attack on Cricket Australia as he withdrew his bid to get his captaincy ban overturned. On Wednesday, David Warner took to his social media and shared an emotional note, opening up about his ban from leadership roles on the national side and the humiliation his family faced because of it.
In his lengthy note, the Australian batter wrote about the ugly Sandpaper Gate incident in the third Test match in Cape Town which led to a ban and penalty for the then-captain Steve Smith and him. Warner stated that his family is more important to him than the sport.
“My family is more important to me than cricket,” he said. “Over the course of the past nearly five years since the events that occurred during the Third Test in Cape Town, even with all the humiliation and attacks that they have had to endure, I have enjoyed the unwavering support and love of my wife Candice and my three daughters, Ivy Mae, Indi Rae, and Isla Rose. They are my world.”
“Since that Test and even though my ban from leadership roles may never be lifted, I have taken it upon myself to reform, to rehabilitate and to transform my approach to the game. I have served and been subject to a crushing, unprecedented, penalty that has horribly impacted me and my family for the past nearly five years — without the prospect of any relief until now.”
An angry David Warner has given up on attempts to overturn his leadership ban amid what appears to be a chaotic process introduced by Cricket Australia. He has alleged that counsel assisting the independent panel assembled for the hearing made “offensive” comments in the process.
Warner revealed how he submitted a request for the review panel to change this procedure last Thursday and claims he had the support of Cricket Australia however his plea was once again ignored by the board. While there were talks about lifting the leadership ban for the batter, he wrote dejectedly that the ban may never be lifted. Warner also stated that he has been subjected to a harsh penalty over the last five years without any prospect of relief.
“I held the hope and was encouraged that I would be given a proper opportunity to demonstrate to the review panel that I have demonstrated my deep regret and remorse, and that my rehabilitation and transformation are profound. I hoped I would be given the opportunity, under the established practice and procedure of the code of conduct that is reflected in the amendments, to demonstrate that I have satisfied the necessary requirements for a modification to my ban and that I might be permitted to see out the balance of my career without the yoke hanging around my neck and further anguish for my family.”
He also mentioned that the proposal sent him to the Review Panel was backed by Cricket Australia. An emotional Warner stated that he doesn’t want his family to the “washing machine for cricket’s dirty laundry”. You can read the full statement of David Warner here:
