Australian cricket star David Warner has let loose on the panel review attempting to overturn his leadership ban, accusing them of attempting to make the process a ‘public lynching’.
The former Aussie vice-captain sent out a lengthy statement in which he blasted the independent panel and claimed they made ‘offensive’ comments during the process.
Warner was in the process of having his lifetime leadership ban overturned.
The ban was set in place following the ball-tampering saga that took place in March 2018 during the third Test match against South Africa.
The former Allan Border Medal winner was also banned for one year from the sport for bringing the Baggy Green into disrepute.
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However, the opening batsman has decided to withdraw his appeal as he claimed the review panel wanted to turn him and his family into ‘the washing machine for cricket’s dirty laundry’.
He wrote: “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”
The cricketer claimed that the Review Panel conducted irregular procedures with an approach that would impact the welfare of himself and his family.
Warner says the panel acted in opposition to the recommendations of himself and Cricket Australia.
He continued: “In effect, Counsel Assisting, and, it appears, to some extent the Review Panel, want to conduct a public trial of me and what occurred during the Third Test at Newlands. They want to conduct a public spectacle to, in the Panel’s words, have a ‘cleansing’. I am not prepared for my family to be the washing machine for cricket’s dirty laundry.”
The 36-year-old says he had requested the Review Panel revisit their procedure and decision to apply a protocol that ‘is consistent with established practice and procedure’.
He added: “Having had nearly a week to consider that proposal, today the Review Panel has decided to ignore the request in any meaningful way and has provided a dismissive rejection of the substantive matters.
“It appears that the Panel has given no more than passing consideration to issues of player welfare and the interests of Australian cricket and is instead determined to conduct a public lynching.
“Regrettably, I have no practical alternative at this point in time but to withdraw my application. I am not prepared to subject my family or my teammates to further trauma and disruption by accepting a departure from the way in which my application should be dealt with pursuant to the Code of Conduct.
“Some things are more important than cricket.”
Jayden Collins