Gale charged again after 'Kolpak' comments

Cricket365
September 18, 2014

Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale has been charged with a level three ECB Code of Conduct breach, after his altercation with Lancashire's South African batsman Ashwell Prince, in which Gale referred to Prince's Kolpak status.

While Gale was originally charged with a level two offense for using abusive language on the field and was banned for two matches. As such, he missed Yorkshire's match that won them the County Championship, and was banned from the presentation.

The ECB have decided that the punishment was not enough, and have upped the charge to level three, having read racist tones into Gale's comments, particularly the 'Kolpak' part, which they feel referred to Prince's race.

A level three charge reads: "Using language or gesture that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion or belief, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation or background."

Yorkshire have promised to defend Gale fully, saying 'Kolpak' has no racist undertones, and refers only to Prince's status as an overseas player, and that his racial background had nothing to do with it.

Yorkshire director Martin Moxon said in the Yorkshire Post: "We are going to do what we can to help him clear his name. "The club will help Andrew in any way possible."

According to the Post, there was no indication that Prince himself had taken the matter further.