Cricket Australia warns MCG crowd after racist chants against Indian players
Cricket Australia on Friday warned a section of the MCG crowd after it emerged that Indian cricketers were subjected to racist chants in the ongoing third Test in Melbourne, a media report has claimed.
According to a report in the ESPNCricinfo, CA received several complaints of racial taunts directed towards Indian players and fans during the first two days of the third Test. The four-Test series tied 1-1 right now.
The website claimed that it had footage of the specific instances and it passed that on to CA. The CA forwarded it to Victoria Police and the stadium management and it is alleged that spectators can be seen shouting "show us your visa" in the bottom tier of the MCG's Great Southern Stand.
It reportedly prompted CA to tell fans to behave themselves or risk eviction.
"Victoria Police and stadium security are monitoring the behaviour of the crowd in that section of the stadium and have had several discussions with those fans in that bay to remind them about appropriate crowd behaviour, as per venue entry terms and conditions," a CA spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who scored 82 in the first innings, was also subjected to booing and abusive chants.
Australia all rounder Mitchell Marsh, who has replaced Peter Handscomb in the third Test, was also booed by the spectators on the opening day.
This is not the first time the MCG crowd has been warned against racial behaviour. A similar incident was reported during the Boxing Day Test in 2005 with South African fast bowler Andre Nel at the receiving end.
