Former Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has alleged that he was subjected to racial abuse by a member of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in the Lord’s Long Room during the 2023 Ashes series. The incident occurred following the contentious dismissal of England batsman Jonny Bairstow in the second Test match, according to Cricinfo.
In his autobiography Sabr, Khawaja states that an MCC member told him to “shut up, you P**i” as Australian players returned to the pavilion amid boos and verbal abuse from spectators during the lunch interval on the fifth day of the match.
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Cricinfo reported that Sky Sports broadcast footage showing Khawaja stopping to confront an MCC member while the Australian team passed through the Long Room. He was also seen notifying stewards about another member before proceeding to the away dressing room.
Khawaja described the scene in his book, saying that several members directed profanities at the Australian players in unison, including “F-ing this,” “F-that,” and “C-nts this.” He recounted initially laughing in shock before confronting one member who shouted in his ear and subsequently hearing another use a racial slur, which caused him to lose his temper.
He said: “It was like a pack of dogs about to feast on their next meals. They were in unison, swearing, calling us ‘F-ing this’, and ‘F-that’, ‘C-nts this’. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. At first, I just laughed, mostly in shock. Was this the Long Room? Part of the most prestigious, noble cricket club in the world, where the waiting list was over 30 years? Or were we with the Hollies? And no disrespect to the Hollies, because they never treated us like this.”
Khawaja continued: “As we kept walking, I pulled up when someone shouted right into my ear – as there was only a rope and about 20 centimetres between us. ‘Don’t you dare scream in my ear again, you dickhead,’ I said to the first guy. Then as I walked on, and I heard someone else say, ‘Shut up, you P**i,’ I lost it.”
He clarified that he could not identify the individual who used the racial slur, stating that he confronted the first person he believed responsible. “I don’t know who this was exactly. I want to clarify that I know a few people got bans from the MCC. All I know is I confronted the first bloke I saw, who I thought it was. He was still shouting, spitting and screaming in my face, so I could only assume it was him. I told security, ‘Get this guy out of here!’”
Following the incident, the MCC suspended three members for their conduct, later expelling one and imposing bans of four-and-a-half and two-and-a-half years on the other two after an investigation.
Australia won the Test match by 43 runs.
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