West Indies Test skipper Jason Holder feels that racism should be penalised in the same manner as offences like doping or match-fixing. Holder stated that racism is one of the major issues that bring a bad name to the sport and it is hight time that it must be dealt in a similar manner as other sporting offences.
“I don’t think the penalty for doping or corruption should be any different for racism,” Holder told BBC Sport.
“If we’ve got issues within our sport, we must deal with them equally.”
Holder added that anti-racism briefings should become part of pre-series briefings on doping as well as corruption and corrupt approaches.
“In addition to having anti-doping briefings and anti-corruption briefings, maybe we should have an anti-racism feature before we start a series,” he added.
“My message is that more education needs to go around it. I’ve not experienced any racial abuse first hand but have heard or seen a few things around it. It’s something you just can’t stand for.”
Holder gave examples of England pacer Jofra Archer who has faced racist abuse at home as well away Tests and Moeen Ali who also reportedly faced abuse from a section of the fans in 2014.
The much-anticipated West Indies-England Test series which will mark the resumption of cricket since the coronavirus pandemic halted all cricketing activities commences on 8 July.