English fast bowler Ollie Robinson was handed an eight-match ban by the ECB – five of them deferred – for his offensive historic tweets. The 27-year-old is free to resume his international career, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Saturday. Robinson will also be available for the upcoming Test series between India and England. He was also fined £3,200 ($4,400).
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A Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) Panel investigated Robinson’s tweets posted between 2012 and 2014 and announced its decision.
England did not play Robinson in the second Test match against New Zealand last month and the pacer voluntarily withdrew himself from selection for Sussex County Cricket Club to the impact of these proceedings. He missed three matches in total.
“Following a hearing on 30 June, the Discipline Commission Panel decided that Robinson should be suspended from playing cricket for eight matches, five of which will be suspended for two years,” read the judgement.
“As regards the three matches which are the subject of immediate suspension, the Panel has taken into account the suspension imposed by the England Team from the second Test against New Zealand, together with two of the T20 matches from which Robinson voluntarily withdrew himself from selection for Sussex due to the impact of these proceedings.
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“Robinson is therefore free to play cricket immediately.”
Talking about the factors taken into consideration before lifting Robinson’s ban, ECB said that the CDC Panel examined the nature and content of the tweets, the breadth of their discrimination, their widespread dissemination in the media and the magnitude of the audience to whom they became available.
“The Panel also considered there was significant mitigation, including the time that had elapsed since the tweets were posted, and a number of personal references which demonstrated that Robinson, who chose to address the Panel, is a very different person to the one who sent the tweets.
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“It also took account of his remorse, admissions and cooperation as well as the huge impact which the revelation of these tweets and its consequences have had upon him and his family.”
According to ECB’s press release, Robinson told the panel that he is willing to follow their recommendation and draw on his experience to speak at training programmes regarding social media use and anti-discrimination in the next two years.