[Cricket] Ollie Robinson suspended by ECB

[Billy the Fish]

Absolutely ridiculous. In 2021 we are told we must 'educate' ourselves, so how come 8 year old tweets from someone who was 18 - and has not posted anything similar since then suggesting he is a changed character is being punished so harshly?

It's the modern day pillory, people need to see the pound of flesh.

I'm with everyone else and think it's ridiculous but in the long run they're probably doing him a favour. Without an official punishment under his belt you just know some kind of race related pressure group will pick up on it and instigate their own punishment, especially if he does well as a player and becomes more high profile.

 

[Braggfan]

Its not ridiculous at all. This is a bigger issue than whether Ollie Robinson is a changed man. You can't sit there and say that we need zero tolerance on racism, and then find loopholes to let instances go unpunished. It might have been 8 or 9 years ago, but if you don't do anything then it's not zero tolerance, its some tolerance for racism.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

Its not ridiculous at all. This is a bigger issue than whether Ollie Robinson is a changed man. You can't sit there and say that we need zero tolerance on racism, and then find loopholes to let instances go unpunished. It might have been 8 or 9 years ago, but if you don't do anything then it's not zero tolerance, its some tolerance for racism.

Yep there is a middle ground between the fallout from this and the response from most on here.

 

[Hugo Rune]

The news broke, Robinson admitted it, said he was sorry. He clearly is a different person from the one at 18 years old when he was sacked by Yorkshire.

What is there to investigate?

I suspect he'll be fined, miss the next test (might not have played anyway) and be told to attend some diversity training. I hope this doesn't have a long-term impact on his cricket career.

Should it be investigated? 100% yes or it’s not zero tolerance.

However, as he has apologised, surely it’s the diversity training that is the only thing needed. He should not be fined or miss any matches. This should be cleared up today.

 

[Braggfan]

Yep there is a middle ground between the fallout from this and the response from most on here.

He's been dropped for the rest of the series, which is one test match. Which in the grand scheme of things isn't that big a deal, he'll surely get him back in the squad after the way he played.

I think this probably is the middle ground. He's hardly been hammered in terms of punishment, and it allows the ECB to claim they took action.

 

[Eeyore]

Listened to a bit of TMS and they said that as the ECB were making a big push on their inclusivity campaign, that had to be seen to do something or it would invalidate the whole thing. Whilst it is probably too harsh a punishment for the actions of a wayward teenager, I can see why they did it as they would risk undoing all of their recent work. Does make you wonder who broke it and presumably sat on it for maximum impact.

Sadly, that phrase is the summary of it all. It doesn't have an undercoat that includes 'seen to be doing a fair and proportional thing'.

The Robinson case is a snapshot of a problem we have in our new righteous culture. So much has changed, and for the better. But a depressing upside is the scramble to summit of the most pious mountain. The frenzy for 'likes' and the judegmental nature of those who hide their own sins of the past.

May be we should all now sack ourselves from jobs and life itself for things we said when we were young men and women. Trouble is the economy would grind to a halt.

 

[keaton]

Not really worth discussing. The ECB had no choice as it coincided with it's announcement on Diversity. https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/1713497/...e-to-broaden-inclusion-and-diversity-strategy
Tough luck for the teenage casual racist/sexist.

How does that fit with Overton being in the squad?

 

[Lower West Stander]

He's been dropped for the rest of the series, which is one test match. Which in the grand scheme of things isn't that big a deal, he'll surely get him back in the squad after the way he played.

I think this probably is the middle ground. He's hardly been hammered in terms of punishment, and it allows the ECB to claim they took action.

Sorry - why does there need to be "middle ground"? What would "extreme ground" be? Banning him all summer? Forever? Where do you draw the line?

As I said on another thread, I defy anyone to think that Robinson is the only member of the England cricket to have historically done or said something daft in the last 30 years. this is almost McCarthyite.

The ECB could easily have "done something" by recognising how long ago it was in the past and accepting the apology rather than pay lip service to a modern hate mob.

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

Its not ridiculous at all. This is a bigger issue than whether Ollie Robinson is a changed man. You can't sit there and say that we need zero tolerance on racism, and then find loopholes to let instances go unpunished. It might have been 8 or 9 years ago, but if you don't do anything then it's not zero tolerance, its some tolerance for racism.

If it's been 9 years since an offending post or tweet, and his record is clean for those intervening 9 years, then I think you can take on face value he is a changed man from the teenager that mistakenly thought some inappropriate tweets were humourous.

The issue here is the ECB hired him and selected based on who he is right now. These tweets were before he was a professional cricketer even.

I think a fine, an acceptance of his apology, and perhaps some education programme / diversity training would have been a progressive positive way of dealing with this. An outright ban is regressive and a bit draconian; lets be honest a bit like the ECB itself which is hardly a saint on the equality and standards front.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Another snowflake leftie here..

I really don't see the point of punishing someone who has/had racist feelings at 18 years of age.
The whole point of the anti-discrimination movement is to educate these people.

If the lad has admitted guilt,apologised and committed to educate himself, then what more do you want?

Whilst I partially agree with your comments, what he wrote when he was 18, and let’s not forget an adult, was wrong. The response to this therefore needs to include a punitive element. Otherwise other 18 year olds will think they can behave in a similar manner and get away with it.

 

[Eeyore]

The witch hunt begins, pitchforks at the ready - the ECB wants to show they're right on. It is sad that even at 18 Robinson thought it cool or funny to post such cr@p on the internet - but even sadder are the saddoes that trawl through shedloads of historic stupidity to find some dirt, then sit on it only to release it in the middle of his test debut when it will get their oh so clever holier-than-thou trawling the maximum publicity.

I agree with you, except that the ECB are not 'right on'. They have done terrific work with inclusive cricket. I was chatting to a female friend at a game yesterday and we spoke about it. Ironically, she has recently been subjected to sexist remarks at a mixed Sunday match. There is still a way to go.

BUT

Where this goes wrong is the inability to look at situations from a human and rational perspective. I've always been open how as a teenager and young man I had a racially biased indoctrination, being a product of my environment. I changed. But I will not now, with a new understanding, sit in judgement over anyone else. I wish others weren't so cowardly and would admit this themselves. And there will be a few sitting in the ECB right now....

If a cricketer was spouting that stuff now they would only have themselves to blame. The past is another country.

 

[Greg Bobkin]

I love the fact that the ECB were happy to keep him in the team – taking wickets and scoring runs – and THEN suspend him.

'We're outraged by these comments on social media and an investigation has begun. However, it was important that he helped us get a result in this test match – we know what's REALLY important here...'

 

[keaton]

Its not ridiculous at all. This is a bigger issue than whether Ollie Robinson is a changed man. You can't sit there and say that we need zero tolerance on racism, and then find loopholes to let instances go unpunished. It might have been 8 or 9 years ago, but if you don't do anything then it's not zero tolerance, its some tolerance for racism.

There's clearly not zero tolerance for racism as Overton is on the squad. David Graveney who organised the rebel tours is the National Performance Manager.

 

[lawros left foot]

Similar to the Andre Gray furore several years ago.
Player is found to have posted offensive social media comments years previously.

Player is banned for x number of games, player pledges to learn from mistakes as a much younger man, and move on.

I can’t remember any Tory Minister defending Andre Gray though.

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

Not really worth discussing. The ECB had no choice as it coincided with it's announcement on Diversity. https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/1713497/...e-to-broaden-inclusion-and-diversity-strategy
Tough luck for the teenage casual racist/sexist.

One of their key statements:

Listening & Education – Listen, learn and educate to broaden understanding and openness across cricket

As per my post above, surely a more appropriate sanction for some 9 year old tweets would have been some form of education training or whatever for OR to signal their above statement?

Their reaction to THEIR cock-up in putting OR in this situation without a process which could have been as simple as "do you have any past tweets or social media posts you regret or we should know about?" - if he answered No to that question, then fair enough, through the book at him, if that question wasn't asked, or touched upon, then the ECB should be taking some flak for NOT educating / listening or understanding their cricketers.

Someone at the ECB ****ed up and OR is paying for that.

 

[Braggfan]

There's clearly not zero tolerance for racism as Overton is on the squad. David Graveney who organised the rebel tours is the National Performance Manager.

Well quite, and I don't think thats acceptable either.

 

[KeegansHairPiece]

Well quite, and I don't think thats acceptable either.

So what you're saying is an allegation of racism and you are banned for life? That is surely the opposite to the message of openness, inclusivity, education, learning etc.

If you think someone should be banned for life, then the message you are sending is no one can be educated, learn or change. So someone would need to decide which message is bullshit or not?

 

[rippleman]

I think a punishment sends a message to young kids aspiring to a sporting career that if you post racist, homophobic, sexist etc crap on social media it will come back to haunt you and could end that promising and lucrative career.

You can't post online abuse, say "sorry" and think everything will be fine.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Its not ridiculous at all. This is a bigger issue than whether Ollie Robinson is a changed man. You can't sit there and say that we need zero tolerance on racism, and then find loopholes to let instances go unpunished. It might have been 8 or 9 years ago, but if you don't do anything then it's not zero tolerance, its some tolerance for racism.

But all he can do about his behavior from 8 years ago is apologise. He has done so and the least we can do is accept it.

 

[Uh_huh_him]

Whilst I partially agree with your comments, what he wrote when he was 18, and let’s not forget an adult, was wrong. The response to this therefore needs to include a punitive element. Otherwise other 18 year olds will think they can behave in a similar manner and get away with it.

I believe the vast majority of 18 year olds are still posting shit, immature, mildly offensive "jokes" and getting away with it.
This type of behaviour is how a great many socially inept young men, learn what is and isn't acceptable/funny.

You'll note that in this case, it wasn't something that Ollie continued to do throughout his life. (unless I have missed recent updates on this)
I daresay the tweets did not elicit the sort of kudos he originally thought they might.
Or maybe they did and he was secretly embarrassed at himself and decided against continuing.
Either way I think it is more pertinent to judge the man on his current thoughts/behaviours than of his 18 year old self.

If the ECB find a longer running unpleasant side to the lad, then fair play, punish away.
But I would imagine their original due diligence would have spotted any such red flags.