THE EDITOR: Inevitably, there will be sport politics, but there ought to be no place for politics in sport.

I refer to Australia's Test opening batsman Usman Khawaja and his challenge against the ICC (International Cricket Council) banning visible signs of protest or support for the war in the Middle East between Israel and Palestine.

With all due respect, cricket and sports in general is not the place to protest these volatile geo-political issues. If Usman Khawaja has a stance and view on these issues, then he should put down his cricket bat and go to the Middle East and join the fight for whichever side he supports.

Sorry, not sorry, and the black lives matter movement should’ve never made its way into cricket and sports either.

Khawaja is letting his team and Australia down – he doesn’t have the facts and can’t be stating his personal beliefs while wearing an Australian team shirt.

If that is his objective and he wants to protest, he should do so on his personal platform and on his personal time.

This is going to hit a nerve, but Khawaja is a Pakistani immigrant, he sheltered in and was grown by Australia to be the man he is today and now wants to self-promote, unlike Imran Khan who chose to stay in Pakistan and bravely work for his people.

It is selfishness and downright boldface to now be a champion of peace as a born-again Aussie. Khawaja has said nothing about human rights violations in Afghanistan, which conveniently is governed by the Taliban, when Australia opted out of a series against them.

Nothing to say about the hungry children in Africa and nothing to say about what’s going on in Europe.

That sounds like an agenda to me. Usman ought to back down and focus on cricket because he has practically ended his career. Politics must have no place or space in sports. Just play the damn game nah man.

KENDELL KARAN

Chaguanas

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