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Australia batter Usman Khawaja became a big talking point on social media after pictures of his shoes with a 'Palestine conflict slogan' surfaced on social media. Khawaja was reportedly planning to wear the shoe with the same message on Day 1 of the first Test against Pakistan in Perth, but was warned against doing so over 'ICC rules'. While Khawaja has accepted the directive, he maintains that the message written on his shoe wasn't political.
On one of Khawaja's shoes, the message read: "All lives are equal", while the other one read, "Freedom is a human right". But, had the veteran batter decided to wear the same messages in the match, he could've been suspended by ICC.
In a video that he shared on social media on the eve of the Perth Test, Khawaja stood his ground and said that he isn't taking sides in the Israel vs Hamas war but is only suggesting that all lives are equally important to him, be it that of a person Muslim, Jew or Hindu.
"What I've written on my shoes is not political," he said. "I'm not taking sides. Human life to me is equal. One Jewish life is equal to one Muslim life is equal to one Hindu life and so on. I'm just speaking up for those who don't have a voice."
All Lives are Equal. Freedom is a Human right. I'm raising my voice for human rights. For a humanitarian appeal. If you see it any other way. That's on you... pic.twitter.com/8eaPnBfUEb
— Usman Khawaja (@Uz_Khawaja) December 13, 2023Despite the word of caution from Cricket Australia, Khawaja also said that he would continue to fight for his right to express these views. "Is freedom not for everyone? Are all lives not equal?", Khawaja asked in the video.
"The ICC has told me I can't wear my shoes on the field because they feel it's a political statement under their guidelines," he said. "I don't believe it's so. It's a humanitarian appeal. I will respect their view and decision. But I will fight it and seek to gain approval," he said in the video.
"Freedom is a human right. And all lives are equal. I will never stop believing that, whether you agree with me or not," he also said.
Usman Khawaja said,
"Freedom is a human right. And all lives are equal. I will never stop believing that, whether you agree with me or not"
"The ICC have told me that I can't wear my shoes on field because they believe it's a political statement under their guidelines. I don't… pic.twitter.com/HVjuTWqUgz
Earlier, Australia skipper Pat Cummins had confirmed that Khawaja would not wear the statements, that he did in training, in the match against Pakistan on Thursday.
"I spoke to him just quickly and [Khawaja] said he won't be [wearing the statements]," Cummins said. "It kind of drew the attention to the ICC rules which I don't know if Uzzie was across beforehand. Uzzie doesn't want to make too big of a fuss. On his shoes, he had 'all lives are equal'. I think that's not very divisive. I don't think anyone can really have too many complaints about that.
"I think it's one of our strongest points in our team is that everyone has their own passionate views and individual thoughts and I chatted to Uzzie briefly about it today. And I don't think his intention is to make too big of a fuss, but we support him.
"I think what was on the shoes, 'all lives are equal', I support that."
Through his message, Khawaja is hoping to help bring an end to the war that has been going on for weeks between Israel and Hamas. The war in Gaza was triggered after Hamas operatives carried out a brutal attack on southern Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.
In Israel's retaliatory air, land and sea assault against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, at least 17,700 people, most of them also civilians, have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.
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