India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his desire to connect with the Indian fan Krishna Kumar, who was allegedly racially profiled and abused by a mid-ranking security officer at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) stands during the third Test between Ajinkya Rahane-led side and Australia.
On Tuesday, India had won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series 2-1. For the first time in 32 years, Australia was defeated at the Gabba, Brisbane. Taking to Twitter Ashwin replied on Wide World of Sport’s tweet and wrote, “How can I reach you Krishna kumar?? Well done.”
The operators of the SCG have already launched an investigation into claims by an Indian cricket supporter who was told by the security officer to “go back to where you belong”.
According to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, Krishna Kumar, who lives in Sydney, was accompanied by a solicitor as he met Venues NSW legal personnel to lodge an official complaint, telling them he felt “stripped and naked” by the treatment — on the fifth and final day of the match.
Kumar further alleged a group of spectators called him and members of the Indian team “curry munchers” on Saturday — the third day of the match — 24 hours before six men were ejected by police when Mohammed Siraj stopped play and complained to umpires.
Cricket Australia is continuing an investigation into reports by the Indian team that fast bowlers Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were subject to racial taunts by crowd members in Sydney. The Indian supporter Kumar, who attended three days of the third Test, has told Venues NSW that he was targeted after attempting to bring four banners into the ground on the final day of the Pink Test.
Written on paper roll, they said: “Rivalry is good, racism is not”, “No racism mate”, “Brown inclusion matters”, and “Cricket Australia — more diversity please”.
“He told me, ‘If you need to address this matter, go back to where you belong. It was a very small banner. I made it out of my kids’ paper roll,” Krishna Kumar mentioned.
Kumar left to return the banners to his car, he said the same official then told more junior guards to “make sure we give him a complete frisking when he gets back”.
“To me, this is a pure case of profiling. They changed their entire formation so the guy next to the boundary is standing right in front of me and facing me,” he had said.
“I’m not looking for compensation, I’m not looking for free tickets, I’m not looking for a membership. I want justice. I want accountability. I was feeling stripped, feeling watched and I went there to fight racism. Why should I be stopped from addressing racism, especially at a ground where it was debatable whether it was happening or not?” Kumar had said.
A Venues NSW had said it was “aware of the matter and has met with the complainant”.
“We are investigating the complainant’s allegations and we’ll make no further comment until our investigation is complete,” a spokesperson had said.