ECB has gone over the top by suspending Ollie Robinson and should rethink: UK Sports Secretary

On Sunday, June 6, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) took the decision of suspending the debutant pacer Ollie Robinson from all formats of international cricket. The reaction came after a few controversial tweets made by Robinson in 2012 surfaced on social media.

Robinson made his debut for England during the first Test of the two-match series against New Zealand. The 27-year-old truly impressed the cricket fraternity on Day 1 with his skills with the ball. Robinson made Tom Latham his first international wicket while he also picked Ross Taylor on Day 1. 

However, the success was short-lived as a few tweets made by the pacer when he was 18 years old resurfaced on social media. As a teenager, Ollie passed some racist comments on Asians, Muslims, and women. The right-arm seamer was subjected to massive flak on social media for the same.

However, Robinson recognized his mistake and issued a public apology saying that back then he was going through a very tough phase in his life. “I want to make it clear that I’m not racist and I’m not sexist. 

“I deeply regret my actions, and I am ashamed of making such remarks. I was thoughtless and irresponsible, and regardless of my state of mind at the time, my actions were inexcusable. Since that period, I have matured as a person and fully regret the tweets,” Robinson stated. 

Ollie Robinson’s tweets were offensive and wrong: Oliver Dowden

However, the apology by the seamer didn’t make any difference to ECB, as they suspended the pacer by releasing an official statement. The statement from the ECB read, “England and Sussex bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended from all international cricket pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation following historic tweets he posted in 2012 and 2013.

“He will not be available for selection for the second Test against New Zealand starting at Edgbaston on Thursday (June 10). Robinson will leave the England camp immediately and return to his county.”

ECB’s punishment hasn’t gone down well with the UK government’s culture and sports secretary Oliver Dowden. In a tweet on his official handle, Dowden wrote that ECB has gone over the top by punishing Robinson for decade-old tweets.

“Ollie Robinson’s tweets were offensive and wrong. They are also a decade old and written by a teenager. The teenager is now a man and has rightly apologized. The ECB has gone over the top by suspending him and should think again,” Oliver tweeted.

Ollie Robinson’s tweets were offensive and wrong.

They are also a decade old and written by a teenager. The teenager is now a man and has rightly apologised. The ECB has gone over the top by suspending him and should think again.

— Oliver Dowden (@OliverDowden) June 7, 2021