Ollie Robinson cleared to play for England; handed suspended sentence and £3,200 fine

Ollie Robinson cleared to play for England; handed suspended sentence and £3,200 fine

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Robinson is immediately free to play for England

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England’s Ollie Robinson, who last month was indefinitely suspended for posting racist and sexist tweets as a teenager, is ‘free to play cricket immediately’ following the hearing held by the Disciplinary Panel. Robinson has been handed a suspended sentence and has been fined £3,200.

England’s Ollie Robinson is in line to feature in the first Test against India next month as the Sussex pacer, who last month was suspended indefinitely by the ECB after being found guilty of posting racist and sexist tweets as a teenager, has been cleared to immediately play cricket once again, following a hearing from the Disciplinary Panel. The Panel decided that Robinson should be suspended from playing cricket for eight matches, five of which will be suspended for two years. Robinson already served a suspension for the three remaining games - the second Test against New Zealand and a Vitality Blast match - and thus the 27-year-old is now eligible to play for England once again. He has, however, been fined £3,200 for his actions. 

“Following a hearing on 30 June, the Panel decided that Robinson should be suspended from playing cricket for eight matches, five of which will be suspended for two years.  As regards the three matches which are the subject of immediate suspension, the Panel has taken into account the suspension imposed by the England Team from the second LV= Insurance Men’s Test against New Zealand, together with two of the Vitality Blast T20 matches from which Robinson voluntarily withdrew himself from selection for Sussex CCC due to the impact of these proceedings. Robinson is, therefore, free to play cricket immediately,” read an ECB release.

“In coming to its decision, the Panel took into account a number of factors including the nature and content of the tweets, the breadth of their discrimination, their widespread dissemination in the media and the magnitude of the audience to whom they became available. The Panel also considered there was significant mitigation, including the time that had elapsed since the tweets were posted, and a number of personal references which demonstrated that Robinson, who chose to address the Panel, is a very different person to the one who sent the tweets. It also took account of his remorse, admissions and cooperation as well as the huge impact which the revelation of these tweets and its consequences have had upon him and his family. Robinson was also fined £3,200.”

Responding to the punishment imposed, Robinson said that he fully accepts the verdict, and further apologised for his actions as a teenager. Robinson described the past month as the toughest phase of his professional career.

“I fully accept the CDC’s decision. As I have said previously, I am incredibly embarrassed and ashamed about the tweets I posted many years ago and apologise unreservedly for their contents," Robinson said.

“I am deeply sorry for the hurt I caused to anyone who read those tweets and in particular to those people to whom the messages caused offence. This has been the most difficult time in my professional career for both my family and myself. Whilst I want to move on, I do want to use my experience to help others in the future through working with the PCA.”

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