Usman Khawaja vows to fight ICC mandate after shoe slogan ban

Usman Khawaja has pledged to fight a decision by the ICC to bar him from displaying human rights messages on his shoes while representing Australia this summer in support of people in Gaza.

Khawaja was pictured at training on Tuesday with the words “all lives are equal” and “freedom is a human right” written across his Nike-branded footwear. Captain Pat Cummins said Khawaja would not wear the shoes in the first Test against Pakistan in Perth starting on Thursday.

Later, Khawaja posted a video on social media in which he said he would continue to pursue what he described as a “humanitarian appeal”.

“The ICC have told me that I can’t wear my shoes on field, because they believe it’s a political statement under their guidelines. I don’t believe it is,” he said. “I will respect their view and decision but I will fight it and seek to gain approval.”

Cummins earlier on Wednesday said he supports Khawaja’s stance, but confirmed the shoes wouldn’t be worn during the Test.

“I spoke to him briefly and he said he won’t be [wearing them],” Cummins told reporters. “It drew the attention to the ICC rules, which I don’t know if Uzzie was across beforehand. I know the ICC rules are quite specific to writing.

“Uzzie doesn’t want to make too big of a fuss. On his shoes he had, ‘all lives are equal’. I think that’s not very divisive. I don’t think anyone can really have too many complaints about that.”

Khawaja shared a Unicef video from Gaza on Instagram four days ago, and commented: “Do people not care about innocent humans being killed? Or is it the colour of their skin that makes them less important? Or the religion they practice? These things should be irrelevant if you truly believe that ‘we are all equal.’”

If Khawaja – the first Muslim player to represent Australia – had worn the shoes during the upcoming Test, it would have breached ICC rules and possibly resulted in a ban, a fine or an official warning.

Earlier in the day, Cricket Australia released a statement saying the organisation supported the right of players to express personal opinions but pointing to ICC rules “which prohibit the display of personal messages, which we expect the players to uphold”.

Khawaja’s social media video took aim at those who had taken offence at his intended gesture. “For everyone who did get offended somehow, is to ask yourself these questions. Is freedom not for everyone? Are all lives not equal?”

He said he had been called up by “not just a handful” of people who had been offended. “I’m not taking sides, human life to me is equal,” he said. “One Jewish life is equal to one Muslim life is equal to one Hindu life and so on. I’m just speaking up for those who don’t have a voice.”

He said he felt like his life wasn’t equal to others growing up, but “luckily for me, I never lived in a world where that … inequality was life or death.”

Cummins said he was keen to promote an environment in which everyone is able to express themselves. “I think everyone in our team has their own individual thoughts and I love that,” Cummins said. “I think it’s one of our strongest points.

“You want everyone to bring their own individual self to the team. And as I said, I think what was on the shoes – all lives are equal – I mean, I support that.”

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Earlier, federal sport minister Anika Wells seemed to suggest that Khawaja’s gesture would be allowed by the ICC.

“As federal sport minister I have always advocated for athletes having the right to a voice and to speak up on matters important to them,” Wells said.

“Usman Khawaja is a great athlete and a great Australian. He should have every right to speak up on matters that are important to him. He has done so in a peaceful and respectful way.

“He has done so as an individual and expressed an individual opinion that does not compromise the Australian cricket team’s obligations to the ICC.”

The ICC has previously imposed sanctions for the display of what it deems political messages. England’s Moeen Ali was banned from wearing “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” wristbands in a Test against India in Southampton in 2014.

England had initially approved the wristbands, but that was overruled by the ICC’s match referee, Australian David Boon.

The ICC’s latest rules and regulations state: “In determining whether a message is for a ‘political, religious or racial cause’, the starting point is that the ICC and its members acknowledge and agree that cricket should be used as a tool to bring people and communities around the world together and not as a platform to draw attention to potentially divisive political issues, rhetoric or agendas.”

In his Test eve press conference, Cummins also confirmed there would be no surprises in the XI to face Pakistan. Spinner Nathan Lyon returns from a calf injury to replace Todd Murphy, while Mitchell Marsh holds the allrounder spot ahead of Cameron Green.

Australia XI: David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood