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[Nickauger]

Surprised this hasn't been bought up, but does anyone else think it is ridiculous that Andrew Gale is being investigated for racist abuse following an altercation with Ashwell Prince, where he called him a KOLPAK? Is it just me, or does this seem ridiculous!?! I mean to me, that is just a fact! Its a European ruling, not a derogatory term.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/29254286

[King pair]

Agreed, nothing racial about it. absolute joke, people need to pull their heads from their bottoms and stop being so sensitive

[TangoWhiskey]

I also agree, but I would say there isn't something right about saying 'F**k off back to your country' to someone.

[skip1973]

I am sure it's been said to an Aussie before, I know I have said it to a few poms. Nothing racist about it.

[TangoWhiskey]

I am sure it's been said to an Aussie before, I know I have said it to a few poms. Nothing racist about it.

I didn't say it was racist. Probably more xenophobic if anything. Certainly doesn't require a ban, though probably a slap on the wrist. More than likely it's the ECB making up for the whole Anderson Jadeja debacle.

[arsenal123]

One of the journalists put it perfectly on twitter the other day:

Andrew Gales defence should be funny:

'I can't be racist, some of my best friends are Kolpaks!'   

[InternalTraining]

There is too much "chat" in cricket these days. Some of it is very ungentlemanly. ICC should give umpires more powers to deal with any unsportsmanlike conduct on the field. Also broadcasters should turn up those stump  mikes so the rest of the world can see ( or rather hear ) what kind of jerks some of these cricket players are.

[Sam]

From what I've heard it was something along the lines of "Why don't you f*** off back to your own country you kolpak f***cker". Sounds quite a bit worse when put in that context.

[WalkingWicket37]

From what I've heard it was something along the lines of "Why don't you f*** off back to your own country you kolpak f***cker". Sounds quite a bit worse when put in that context.

Yeah, that sounds pretty bad. I don't think kolpak was the offensive/controversial part of the sentence though...

[joeljonno]

Why don't you f*** off back to Sussex you Southern f***er.

I see no difference between this and the Kolpak comment.

You will here that a lot, it's only because it was said to a foreigner that there is an issue.

Did the Saffer even complain, or was this purely from what the umpire heard?

[RSpall]

Sledging has always been part of the game and always will.

Everyone gets frustrated every now and then, which is probably the reason for the outburst. I have sent many batsman packing using the 'f' work out of aggression. Would happily have a beer after the game with them though and they know that no harm is done.

Professionals take it a little to heart i think. Lets face it if we went to SA, Aus or NZ i'd full well know i would be on the end of a lot of stick for being English but i'd take it.

[mdg20]

From what I've heard it was something along the lines of "Why don't you f*** off back to your own country you kolpak f***cker". Sounds quite a bit worse when put in that context.

to put it into a little more context it was in reply to Prince saying

"why dont you f*** off back to mid off" - thats how he came about telling him where to go rather than just coming out with it completely unprompted (if that makes sense)

[skip1973]

I didn't say it was racist. Probably more xenophobic if anything. Certainly doesn't require a ban, though probably a slap on the wrist. More than likely it's the ECB making up for the whole Anderson Jadeja debacle.

It has been made a racist issue though.

[petehosk]

6 of 1, half a dozen of the other!
He gave back what he got! No racism there! But its the normal case of PC gone mad!

[RSpall]

What is the idea of a KOLPAK player? apart from sides wangling an extra overseas?