In sports, there are strict rules discouraging political messaging on the field—rules that have previously led to sanctions against athletes. Now, a similar allegation has been raised against none other than ICC Chairman Jay Shah. Although his actions took place off the field, they have sparked intense debate about double standards.
Jay Shah, who previously served as secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has come under scrutiny for his public message of support for the Indian military following a deadly militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 Indian citizens were killed. His message, though outside the cricket field, drew comparisons to Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja’s recent conflict with the ICC.
Khawaja was reprimanded and warned by the ICC for expressing solidarity with Palestine by attempting to wear symbolic messages on his gear and a black armband during matches. He was told not to repeat such actions during official games. In contrast, Jay Shah’s open support for India’s military during the same period of India-Pakistan border tensions has been labeled as “hypocrisy” by netizens and media figures alike.
Malcolm Conn, a journalist from The Sydney Morning Herald, shared a Times of India article on social media and wrote “Usman Khawaja was banned by the ICC from displaying messages supporting peace in the Middle East, yet ICC Chairman and Indian Home Minister’s son Jay Shah is free to publicly support the Indian military during an active conflict. What a shocking double standard!”
Conn’s post sparked widespread reactions from global social media users, some demanding why Shah hasn’t stepped down from his ICC position if he wishes to support a military conflict. Indian users responded with the counterargument that Shah, as an Indian citizen, is free to express personal opinions off the field, and those views shouldn’t be conflated with his ICC role. Similarly, they argued that Khawaja, as a player, is bound by on-field codes of conduct.
The ICC has not officially responded to the ongoing controversy.
Usman Khawaja has long been vocal about the humanitarian crisis in Palestine. In December 2023, he attempted to wear custom shoes during a home Test series against Pakistan, bearing the message “Freedom is a human right, all lives are equal.” The ICC intervened, citing regulations that ban players or officials from displaying any form of personal messaging during matches.
Still, Khawaja persisted. During the warm-up session of the Perth Test, he wore the symbolic shoes—although he covered the message with tape to comply with ICC rules. He had also worn them during practice sessions. As a result, he received a demerit point and was formally reprimanded.
Later, Khawaja planned to wear shoes featuring the dove of peace and olive branch for the Boxing Day Test. To avoid further penalties, however, he replaced the imagery with the names of his two daughters, Aisha and Ayla, as a subtle form of protest.
The ongoing debate underscores the complex intersection between sports, politics, and freedom of expression, raising difficult questions about consistency, fairness, and the boundaries of personal belief in professional arenas.
