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Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has released a protest T-shirt featuring the shoes he wore to a team training session that “divided the nation.
Cricket Australia prevented the Test opener from making political statements about the war in Gaza during the Test against Pakistan.
The firm statement from the sporting body came after Khawaja wore shoes bearing the slogans “Freedom is a human right” and “All lives are equal” at training before the first Test in December.
Australians responded with a mixture of support and criticism of the sport star’s public protest display, including the federal sporting minister and former cricketing all-rounder Simon O’Donnell.
Undeterred by the ban, Khawaja has charged ahead with his plans to make a public stand against the conflict, announcing on social media that he has collaborated with a sporting merchandise company to print T-shirts featuring an illustration of the divisive sneakers.
“I’ve team[ed] up with @electric_wicky to bring you the Uzzy “Freedom and Equality” T shirts,” the post to X – formerly known as Twitter – said.
He announced he will donate all profits from the T-shirt sales to the ‘UNICEF Children of Gaza’ appeal which is raising funds to provide clean drinking water, food and education supplies to children on the Gaza Strip.
“For those who can, please purchase to help support those who are struggling and spread the word,” Khawaja said.
Cricketing Australia had told the opener he would not be able to wear the sneakers to the match over rules which prohibit the wearing of personal messages.
“We support the right of our players to express personal opinions,” the statement said.
“But the ICC has rules in place which prohibit the display of personal messages which we expect the players to uphold.”
Federal Sports Minister Anika Wells thew her support behind Khawaja last month, saying she has always advocated for athletes to express use their platform.
“As the federal sports minister, I have always advocated for athletes to have the right to have a voice and to speak up on matters that are important to them,” she said.
“Usman Khawaja is a great athlete. Usman Khawaja is a great Australian and he has every right to speak up on matters that are important to him.
“I think he has done it in a peaceful and respectful way and as a way that he as an individual can express an individual opinion that doesn’t compromise the Australian cricket team’s obligations to the ICC.”
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