h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just supposing that a very high profile but hypothetical, white sportsman, for the sake of argument, let us assume that he might be a cricketer, was alledged to have referred to an opponent in racist terms. Let us suppose that he called his opponent a '*u***** black *u**' on the cricket pitch.

THIS IS ENTIRELY HYPOTHETICAL.

If there was an allegation made by an un-named person - let us for the sake of argument say that a complaint was made to the police by an un-named member of the public. The cricket authorities knew about this and it made it into the national press. Perhaps because the white cricketer in question was let us say hypothetically, for example, the captain of his county AND of his country.

Then the CPS after a police investigation decided that this cricketer should be prossecuted. Wouldn't it be right for his employers, his county to suspend him?

If I was alledged to have made a racist comment whilst I was working - and after all this hypothetical cricketer is working when he alledgedly makes this comment - I would be suspended without question until the issue was settled. I could even be dismissed if an investigation found me to be guilty, because my employer has made a statement about racism being unacceptible in my workplace. And I would also like to say publicly that I think racism is wrong. I also have black friends so I can't be racist can I.

PP

I think...hypothetically speaking, that if any professional person was found guitly of any racist comment, they should be immediately booted out of their profession. No argument, no excuses, no deals or forgiveness.

Thus making a statement to all and sundry that racisim is 100% not acceptable

I think, hypothetically speaking, sportsmen should be given the same punishment as the rest of us. If you were found to be racially abusing sportsmen from the sidelines, you'd receive a lifetime ban from all sporting arenas.

So your hypothetical cricketer should be banned from all cricket grounds while matches are being played. Regardless of how his club try to squirm.

I guess the employer will follow the usual rules of their workplace, whatever they are, and a sportsman is just an employee at the end of the day.

Should those rules involve a suspension? I think so.