The Australian ground announcer who was stood down for allegedly introducing England spinner Monty Panesar in a mock Indian accent, is seeking clarification from Cricket Australia over his removal after denying any slur was made.
A ground announcer stood down for allegedly pronouncing England bowler Monty Panesar's name with an Indian accent has denied doing so, and said he would be seeking clarification from Cricket Australia.
England’s Monty Panesar bowls on Day Two of the tour match against Australia’s Chairman’s XI at Traeger Park in Alice Springs on Saturday. Pic/Getty Images
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CA had deemed the conduct of David Nixon, a producer for local broadcaster ABC, at the Alice Springs ground as inappropriate and withdrew him during the second day of England's two-day warm-up match against a Chairman's XI.
Left-arm spinner Panesar was born in Luton and is of Indian descent.u00a0"It comes as a complete surprise to me to be at the centre of a controversy about racial slurring, and I absolutely refute any allegation that I feigned an Indian accent," Nixon said in a statement, according to an ABC report on Monday.
"'There's a change of bowler at the Traeger Avenue end... its Montyyy!' That was it. I fail to see how anyone could interpret my introduction of Monty Panesar as racial slurring.
"I am certainly responsible for what I say, but not what people hear."u00a0Nixon admitted he had been warned by a CA official for some of his comments but insisted the Panesar issue was never raised.
"Upon arriving back at my post after the lunch break on day two, I was met by a Cricket Australia representative who politely said words to the effect of 'We think that your personal style conflicts with ours and so we've relieved you for the afternoon'," he said.
"There was no mention of my introduction of Monty Panesar or of a complaint being made.u00a0"There was and is no evidence to support the allegation whatsoever and I will seek clarification from Cricket Australia on their decision to stand me down.
"There are few worse things than to be branded a racist. To have such an accusation levelled at me is not only offensive, but defamatory."
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