Ollie Robinson has been cleared for an immediate return to international cricket despite being suspended for eight matches. He was suspended by England Cricket Board (ECB) last month after some of his racist and sexist tweets posted between 2012 and 2014 surfaced on social media.
However, the ECB confirmed Robinson’s development in a statement: ‘A Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) Panel today announced its decision in relation to two charges brought against Ollie Robinson.
‘Robinson had previously admitted breaching ECB Directives 3.3 and 3.4 in relation to a number of offensive tweets which were posted between 2012 and 2014, when he was aged between 18 and 20. The tweets came to light on 2 June 2021, which was also the first day of his first Test match for England.’
The ECB held a hearing on 30 June with a three-member CDC committee. They handed Robinson an eight-match suspension, five of them suspended for two years. He has also been fined GBP 3,200.
Robinson has already served a three-match ban. He missed England’s second Test match against New Zealand and two T20 Blast matches for Sussex.
The CDC, chaired by Mark Milliken-Smith QC, has also suggested Robinson should participate in the use of social media and anti-discrimination training programmes. These will be directed by the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) over the next two years.
‘I fully accept the CDC’s decision,’ Robinson said after hearing the judgement. ‘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.’