In what comes as a positive development for star Australian batter David Warner, the swashbuckling southpaw may finally be able to overturn his lifetime leadership ban as Cricket Australia (CA) voted to alter its code of conduct on November 21 (Monday). Cricket Australia imposed a lifelong leadership ban as a punishment on David Warner after the 2018 ball-tampering saga in South Australia. Along with Warner, former captain Steve Smith was stripped of captaincy and banned from leading the country for two years while Cameron Bancroft was handed a nine-month suspension.
In a statement, Cricket Australia on Monday said players or officials subject to lifetime bans would now be able to have those sanctions reviewed if they demonstrate remorse and evidence of good behavior.
The new systems announced might allow him to almost immediately apply to a panel of three code of conduct commissioners to review his ban.
In an amendment, the code of conduct now "acknowledges that players and player support personnel are capable of genuine reform or rehabilitation and is intended to provide the player or player support personnel with an opportunity to resume their previously held positions or responsibilities in specific circumstances."
The change might allow Warner to lead Australia if, as expected, current Twenty20 captain Aaron Finch steps down in the near future. The Sydney Thunder also appear to be considering Warner for a leadership role when he plays for the franchise in the Big Bash League in January.
"Under the changes, players and support staff can now apply to have long-term sanctions modified," Cricket Australia said in a statement.
"Any applications will be considered by a three-person review panel, comprising independent code of conduct commissioners which must be satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist to justify modifying a sanction.
"These circumstances and considerations will include whether the subject of the sanction has demonstrated genuine remorse; the subject's conduct and behaviour since the imposition of the sanction; whether rehabilitation programs have been completed undertaken (if applicable) and the length of time that has passed since the sanction was imposed and whether sufficient time has passed to allow for reform or rehabilitation," the statement added.
(With PTI inputs)
