Steve O’Keefe’s comments were sexually offensive

Steve O’Keefe was recently fined by Cricket Australia for drunken remarks during a New South Wales cricket function. He was fined $ 20,000 for his comments which were described as “highly inappropriate” when the news broke out. Channel Nine journalist Neil Breen revealed that O’Keefe’s comments were of a sexual nature which further puts the left-arm spinner on thin ice.

According to Breen, “He made comments to Rachel Haynes and her partner of a sexual nature but they weren’t homophobic”. While adding, “And if they were homophobic you would find he probably would have been banned from the game. …He’s admitted they were highly offensive, he’s fallen on his sword and he’s got the $20,000 fine and the ban from next year’s Matador Cup.”

O’Keefe was almost asked to leave from the NSW function early as he was getting into trouble already. “Earlier in the evening he had a crack at a lot of people in the room, officials, he said things to teammates, he’s said things to the partners of teammates. Some people tried to get him out of the function. Inexplicably he was allowed into the after party after some of this behaviour.” Breen said

O’Keefe recently had a great Test tour of India where he picked 19 wickets from 4 Tests at 23.26 runs apiece. His efforts on the field were eclipsed due to this incident. The 32-year old have had alcohol-related problems in the past and was pulled up as recently as August last year by CA in another similar incident. He was fined for $10,000 in that occasion along with an Infringement Notice by NSW Police.

”Last year in August when he came home from the Sri Lankan tour, very disappointed, he got on the booze and went to the Manly Steyne Hotel, got drunk was asked to leave, didn’t leave and the cops came,” he said.

”Then he said things to the police officers on that night like you think you’re so tough there with your gun and your badge, anyone can get a gun and a badge you just go to Goulburn and sit on your backside.”

”…He gets on the drink, he’s got an issue.” Breen said

O’Keefe will not take any part in the Matador Cup, Australia’s One Day competition which is scheduled to kick start in October. Though he has accepted his mistake, he needs to be just a little more careful of his behaviour in the future. The CA has mentioned that they have a zero-tolerance policy against such incidents and if O’Keefe is pulled up again, he might face a sterner punishment.