Campese’s ‘go home’ comments spark outrage

Former Australia rugby union international David Campese has sparked a row after suggesting Pakistan-born cricketer Fawad Ahmed should "go home".

Ahmed was given Australian citizenship in July and made his debut for the country in the recent Twenty20 series in England.

During those games the spinner did not wear the logo of brewing company VB on his shirt, with Cricket Australia explaining team officials had agreed to allow him not to wear the logo due to his religious beliefs. Ahmed is Muslim.

That sparked some controversy Down Under with former Australia batsman Doug Walters telling the Sydney Daily Telegraph: "I think if he doesn't want to wear the team gear, he should not be part of the team. Maybe if he doesn't want to be paid that's okay."

Campese, who won 101 caps for the Wallabies, then Tweeted his approval of Walters’s view, saying: “Doug Walters tells Pakistan-born Fawad Ahmed: if you don’t like the VB uniform, don’t play for Australia. Well said doug. Tell him to go home”.

And when a fellow Twitter user suggested that his “go home” comment could be considered racist, 50-year-old Campese replied: “well why did he come to Aussie for in the first place. A better life? Now he is telling people what he wants.!”

Campese's comments, which he was challenged about by many Twitter users, come after CA chief executive James Sutherland released a statement on Tuesday condemning remarks that had surfaced about Ahmed on social media.

"Cricket Australia would like to express its extreme disappointment over racist comments towards Fawad Ahmed on social media this afternoon, some of which are falsely attributed to former Australian cricketer Dean Jones, " read the statement.

“CA does not condone racism in any way, shape or form. CA is fully supportive of Fawad’s personal beliefs and he is a valued and popular member of the Australian cricket team and the wider cricket community.”