BREAKING: Ollie Robinson handed eight-match ban and £3,200 fine following ECB probe into historic offensive tweets… but England cricketer is free to resume playing immediately with five matches suspended for two years
- Ollie Robinson is free to resume playing cricket following an ECB probe
- The 27-year-old has been under investigation for historic offensive tweets
- The ECB has handed him an eight-match ban, five of which are suspended
- Robinson has also been hit with a £3,200 fine for the tweets posted at age 18
- The ECB considered mitigating factors in determining Robinson’s sanction
England and Sussex bowler Ollie Robinson is free to resume playing cricket after being deemed to have served his suspension following an investigation into historical racist and sexist tweets.
The Cricket Discipline Commission announced he has been handed an eight-match ban, five of which are suspended for two years, for “a number of offensive tweets” between 2012 and 2014.
However, the panel has taken into account Robinson’s suspension from the England team and two Vitality Blast matches, leaving Robinson free to play immediately, although he was also fined £3,200.
The 27-year-old had admitted breaching two ECB directives in relation to a number of offensive tweets posted when he was aged between 18 and 20.
Ollie Robinson is free to resume playing cricket following ECB’s probe into offensive tweets
The England star’s test debut was marred after historic racist and sexist tweets came to light
The tweets came to light on June 2, the opening day of Robinson’s first Test match for England.
The tweets, from a decade ago, were published on the first day of Robinson’s debut Test and he apologised publicly and privately to his team-mates for his offensive words.
In one, he wrote: ‘My new Muslim friend is the bomb’ while another said, ‘Not going to lie a lot of girls need to learn the art of class! #getsome.’
Robinson had withdrawn himself from selection for Sussex following the suspension imposed by the England team for the second Test against New Zealand.
According to a statement, the panel considered significant mitigation, including the time that had elapsed since the tweets were posted, and a number of personal references to show how Robinson is a different person now than when the tweets were sent.
Robinson was suspended during the investigation and has now been sanctioned by the body
Sussex insisted that Robinson retained the support of all his county team-mates, and said they would monitor his mental health as he embarks on a spell on the sidelines.
The club added that he would be welcomed back, ‘when he is ready to return’.
But they also made it clear that the tweets’ content was ‘totally at odds with our stated ambition to inspire people from every background in our county to say, “I feel part of Sussex Cricket”.’
Since then, Robinson has played only two T20 games for Sussex, both at the end of June.
He will play for Manchester Originals in cricket’s new format – The Hundred – this summer. Robinson replaces Harry Gurney, who has retired with shoulder trouble.