Police probe after Indian fans report racist abuse

BIRMINGHAM, July 5

Spirits flow freely at grounds in the UK, and this often causes spectators to cross the red line in behaviour. This seems to have happened on Day 4 of the Test here, with Indian fans alleging they were racially abused in the stands.

The police have launched an investigation into the behaviour of fans after claims were made on social media on Monday evening that Indian supporters at the Edgbaston ground were subjected to racial abuse.

The Warwickshire County Cricket Club and the England and Wales Cricket Board launched their own investigations into the claims.

The allegations were highlighted by Bharat Army, the official Indian team fan group. “Sad to say many of our members experienced racist abuse from a very small minority of individuals… Thank you to those England fans who stood by us,” said a post by Bharat Army on Twitter.

The complaints were also highlighted by cricketer Azeem Rafiq, whose allegations of institutional racism in Yorkshire have led to controversy and soul-searching in Yorkshire and English cricket.

Warwickshire chief executive Stuart Cain said anyone prosecuted could be banned from Edgbaston and other cricket venues in England.

“Any form of abuse isn’t acceptable in life or sport,” Cain said. “I have spoken to those who raised the issue on social media, the stewards managing the Eric Hollies Stand and the police… But when this issue was reported to the stewards, they couldn’t pinpoint where the alleged abuse was coming from so stewards and the police monitored the area until close of play.”