In wake of the ball tampering controversy, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has called for Steve Smith and other members of the Australian cricket team, who were part of the ‘leadership group’, to step down from the team.
“Given the admission by Australian captain Steve Smith, the ASC calls for him to be stood down immediately by Cricket Australia, along with any other members of the team leadership group or coaching staff who had prior awareness of, or involvement in, the plan to tamper with the ball,”the ASC stated in a press release.
ASC chairman John Wylie, the ASC Board and CEO Kate Palmer added that the ASC condemns cheating of any form in sport.
“The ASC condemns cheating of any form in sport. The ASC expects and requires that Australian teams and athletes demonstrate unimpeachable integrity in representing our country.”
“The Australian cricket team are iconic representatives of our country. The example they set matters a great deal to Australia and to the thousands of young Australians playing or enjoying the sport of cricket and who look up to the national team as role models.”
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called the incident a “shocking disappointment” and said he had urged CA Chairman David Peever to take prompt and decisive action.
“I have to say that the whole nation which holds those who wear the ‘baggy green’ up on a pedestal about as high as you can get in Australia, certainly higher than any politician that’s for sure, this is a shocking disappointment,” he told reporters.
-Agencies-
