Barry Richards : Racist ?

Yesterday, I wrote about racism in a reality tv-show. Today, I will discuss some of the things that has been happening in the cricketing world. South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs came under fire during the first test match against Pakistan for using racial slur against Pakistani supporters. He was reportedly heard saying that “Pakistani supporters were behaving “like bloody animals” and something should be done about the “fucking Pakistanis” (Source). ICC promptly suspended him for 2 test matches. However, it does raise the question if he got a rough deal. Players are under a lot of pressure in the ground. And the jeering and abusing from the crowd doesn’t help matters. According to media reports Gibbs himself and Paul Harris who was standing at the fence received a fair amount of abuses. Gibbs made the above comment while talking to his teammates on the pitch. As, I said yesterday, racism can not be tolerated under any circumstance. However, opinion is divided over the nature of the comment. Calling someone animal is an abuse, but doesn’t indicate racism. However, the term ‘fucking Pakistanis” can be interpreted as a racial slur. It is something that is debatable. My belief is that he should be punished for abusing the supporters but two test match ban may be a bit harsh. At the same time, the crowd also needs to be disciplined. Their behaviour should be monitored by guards, and they should be thrown out if found misbehaving.

Meanwhile, Sunil Gavaskar has sparked off another controversy by calling Barry Richards racist.

I am quoting the article published in Time of India:

He (Gavaskar), however, wanted to know if the channel had taken any action against commentator Barry Richards for similarly racist remarks during India’s recent tour to South Africa. During the course of the third and final Test earlier this month, it must be pointed out, Barry Richards had written a column in a South African newspaper which had enraged Gavaskar no end. He even wanted the entire media to confront him for writing that the South African team too was showing ‘Indian fragilities’.

“In the South African context that is definitely a racist comment too. What does he mean by Indian fragilities,” Gavaskar had thundered in Cape Town. “Such stereotyping of people and communities is just not on,” he told TOI on Monday evening.

I have great respect for both Sunil Gavaskar and Barry Richards. Both are great cricketers and excellent commentators. Sunny Gavaskar is known for not mincing his words and standing up against discrimination (against Asian countries). However, I do feel that Mr. Gavaskar has overshot the line this time. I believe that Barry Richards used the term ‘Indian fragilities’ purely in the cricketing sense – and that certainly can’t be termed as racism.
My question is, if someone had said that “The Indian team are becoming experts in the West Indian collapso dance”, would he have taken offence? Is it racist to say that “England is becoming as unpredictable as Pakistan”?
The answer is no. While they may be lame similes, they are not racist comments in anyway. Teams like India, Pakistan and West Indies are infamous for their inconsistency. These expressions just harp on that. And let us be honest – during the South Africa tour the Indian batting order was extremely fragile. Reacting to Sunny Gavaskar’s comments Mr. Richards expressed his surprise (especially since they were both commentating during the incidence and Mr. Gavaskar didn’t mention it to him) and graciously offered an apology to everyone offended.