Fawad Ahmed continues to be target of “bigoted” views

[unitedstatesofislam]

SYDNEY: Rugby great David Campese was criticized for “bigoted” comments about Pakistan-born spin bowler Fawad Ahmed by Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland on Friday. Ahmed received permission from Cricket Australia to not wear a beer company logo on his uniform due to his Muslim faith.

Campese, retired after 101 rugby Tests for Australia, said Ahmed should “go home” if he did not want to wear the sponsor's logo on his playing shirt. Earlier, former Test cricketer Doug Walters was quoted in Australian media as saying: “I think if he doesn't want to wear the team gear, he should not be part of the team.”

Campese then wrote on Twitter: “Doug Walters tells Pakistan-born Fawad Ahmed: if you don't like the ... uniform, don't play for Australia Well said doug. Tell him to go home.”

Ahmed, who fled Pakistan in 2009 to seek asylum in Australia and gained fast-track citizenship in July, was picked for Australia's five-match limited-overs series in England after he made his debut in the Twenty20 series last week.

“We were the ones that raised it with Fawad to ensure he was comfortable, knowing his religious background and where alcohol fits in with that,” Sutherland told Fairfax Media on Friday.

“The Australian cricket community has welcomed him and we're very proud to have him,” Sutherland said, adding that he had been dismayed at the “opportunism on some people's parts to reflect bigoted views.”

After Campese's initial tweet, he said he didn't care about Ahmed's religion but objected to his beliefs affecting sport in general.

Campese said: “Well why did he come to Aussie for in the first place. A better life? Now he is telling people what he wants.! .... a lot more kids who would love to play for Australia. And they would t complain,” Campese said.

The 50-year-old Campese once held the world record for the most tries in test matches with 64.

He was voted player of the tournament at the 1991 Rugby World Cup after scoring six tries to help lead Australia to the title.

Lesson of the story

The kuffar and mushrikeen would never become happy with you unless you start following their ways and eventually leaves islam (may Allah save us). This is also the mafhoom of a Quranic ayah.

 

[Menace2Society]

That's what you get for seeking "asylum".

 

[Leader]

typical racist Aussies ! #SickMinded

 

[Edevelop]

Pakistan-born bowler Fawad Ahmed told to 'go home'

CRICKET Australia chief James Sutherland is disappointed that Fawad Ahmed's rise to the Australian cricket team has been hijacked by "bigots" who appear to have an anti-refugee agenda.

A controversy broke out this week as extreme right-wing political groups and some former sports stars criticised the Pakistan-born Muslim for not wearing the sponsor's VB logo on his one-day shirt.

Former rugby international David Campese tweeted yesterday that Ahmed should "go home".

The late-night rant continued an hour later: "They (sic) is a lot more kids who would love to play for Australia. And they would t complain."

His comments followed former Test star Doug Walters' suggestion that Ahmed not play for Australia if he doesn't like the uniform.

Sutherland yesterday said Cricket Australia had approached the cricketer during the recent Australia A series and asked him if he was uncomfortable wearing the logo.

He conceded that there may be an issue around accepting money from sponsors if a player was not prepared to promote the product, but said that was not what was behind the recent outbursts. South Africa's Hashim Amla does not accept sponsorship money from Castle Lager.

"These comments are out of order," Sutherland said.

"He is an Australian citizen and he is eligible to play cricket for Australia and he has been selected to play for Australia irrespective of his religious beliefs.

"He is an Aussie and he is welcome to play cricket for his country and any suggestion to the contrary we are strongly opposed to. Some people have used this issue to move away from the central debate, which is largely a commercial issue about sponsorship and taken that into a space as to whether he is entitled to play cricket for Australia or live in Australia and that is just rubbish.

"They are bigoted views."

Ahmed was granted citizenship after CA endorsed his application. He claimed to have been victimised by the Taliban at home in Pakistan.

Walters was reported as condemning the cricketer for not wearing the logo in the tour match against Scotland this week.

"I think if he doesn't want to wear the team gear, he should not be part of the team," Walters said. "Maybe if he doesn't want to be paid, that's OK."

Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson also thought Ahmed needed to consider the move.

"If you don't agree with the terms, you have a choice as to whether you work somewhere else," he said.

"Players should be able to object on a number of moral grounds -- example, against cigarette advertising or perhaps you refuse to play in a country with a military dictatorship or poor human rights record -- as long as they don't accept the payments the sponsor provides."

One extremist political party put out a statement earlier in the week condemning Ahmed and railing against the move to "halalize" Australia.

In 2004 Stuart MacGill refused to tour Zimbabwe with the Australian team on moral grounds but still received his full pay.

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