I'm not a criminal: David Warner burst out on captaincy saga post Sandpaper Gate scandal

Cricket Australia

Australia batter David Warner expressed his frustration at how long it has taken Cricket Australia to allow him to apply to have his lifetime leadership ban reviewed. On Monday, Cricket Australia (CA) announced that they have opened the door for players and officials to have long-term sanctions modified following an amendment to their Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel.

The move was announced on Monday following a request at the October board meeting, meaning players and officials can now ask to have their sanctions heard by a three-person review panel. Players did not have the right to have a sanction reviewed once it has been accepted under the previous legislation, but under the new rule, it allows long-term penalties to be eased if they can prove they have shown remorse and their behaviour has changed.

"I'm not a criminal. You should get a right of appeal at some stage. I understand that they put a ban in place but banning someone for life, I think it's a bit harsh," speaking at a promotion event that was not organised by CA, Warner was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. Being depicted negatively in this process at a time when Australia is going through a transition in leadership in limited-overs cricket really irked Warner.

David Warner has savaged Cricket Australia for treating him like a criminal, with the lifetime leadership ban over sandpapergate. Now a complicated code of conduct review will let him fight to overturn it. https://t.co/z2KW91Iw7b @NatYoannidis #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/wULV7cGXLq — 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) November 21, 2022

"Where it's been disappointing, it's taken this long to get to where it has. It was brought up in I think February this year. So it's been drawn out. It's traumatic for me and my family and everyone else that was involved in it. We haven't needed to go back into that detail. We don't need to relive what happened," he added.  "It's frustrating because we could have done this about nine months ago when it was first brought up," Warner said. "It's unfortunate that obviously, Finchy retired and then they sort of fast-tracked it in their own way. But it's a tad disappointing that when you make a decision in 2018, it's in four days, and then this takes nine months. So that's the hardest thing. It actually makes me look like I'm campaigning, which I'm totally not. So from my perspective, that's where it's been disappointing," he added.

On Monday, the board released a statement saying that the recommendations of the review have been accepted and given formal approval. Now, Warner can apply to get his ban modified. "Under the changes, players and support staff can now apply to have long-term sanctions modified," a statement from Cricket Australia said.
"Any applications will be considered by a three-person Review Panel, comprising independent Code of Conduct Commissioners, which must be satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist to justify modifying a sanction.

"These circumstances and considerations will include whether the subject of the sanction has demonstrated genuine remorse; the subject's conduct and behaviour since the imposition of the sanction; whether rehabilitation programs have been completed undertaken (if applicable) and the length of time that has passed since the sanction was imposed and whether sufficient time has passed to allow for reform or rehabilitation.

"The code of conduct states this process: 'Acknowledges that Players and Player Support Personnel are capable of genuine reform or rehabilitation and is intended to provide the Player or Player Support Personnel with an opportunity to resume their previously held positions or responsibilities in specific circumstances.' "The hearing of an application is not an appeal, or a review of the original sanction imposed," concluded the statement.

The 35-year-old opening veteran has shown interest in returning to a leadership role, having captained Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He also spoke about how keen he is to help Sydney Thunder in Big Bash League (BBL) as a leader. Warner has also hinted that he will retire from Test cricket by next year, but will continue playing international cricket till 2024 T20 World Cup, with Aussies likely to need a new captain for that tournament. (ANI)