Cricket Australia closes probe into England Moeen Ali’s ‘Osama’ claim

GB news24 desk//

Cricket Australia has closed an investigation into an alleged racial slur directed by an Australian player at England opener Moeen Ali.

Moeen said in a recently published excerpt from his autobiography that he was called “Osama” by an unnamed Australian player during the 2015 Ashes test in Cardiff.

Cricket Australia said it has investigated, but has closed the investigation after contacting the England and Wales Cricket Board. CA said Moeen has decided not to pursue the matter and that no new evidence had been presented, according to BBC Sport.

CA said in a statement that “we take a zero-tolerance approach to remarks of this nature.”

It added that “any allegations raised with us are treated seriously and respectfully”.

In an extract of his book published in The Times, Moeen said he was on the receiving end of the slur, a reference to Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, from an unnamed opponent during his Ashes debut against Australia in Cardiff — a match where he scored 77 runs in the first innings and took five wickets.

“It was a great first Ashes Test in terms of my personal performance, however, there was one incident which had distracted me,” wrote Moeen.

“An Australian player turned to me on the field and said, ‘Take that, Osama’. I could not believe what I had heard. I remember going really red. I have never been so angry on a cricket field,” added the 31-year-old Worcestershire left-handed batsman and off-spinner.