"ECB are correct to suspend Ollie Robinson and investigate" - Michael Holding
Michael Holding has thrown his weight behind the England & Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) decision to suspend pacer Ollie Robinson over historic racist and sexist tweets.
Holding said the ECB's move to investigate the matter was in line with other work environments but called for the matter to be settled quickly to prevent an unwanted impact on Robinson's life.
Robinson was suspended indefinitely after unsavory tweets he posted eight years ago emerged when he made his Test debut against New Zealand. The controversy tarnished a brilliant outing for the seamer, who took seven wickets for England and also scored a crucial 42 with the bat.
Holding said the investigation would be "very influential" because its effects would go beyond just Robinson's career.
"I think the ECB are correct to suspend him and investigate the matter," Michael Holding told Sky Sports on Tuesday. "Not sure they should be suspending him for a long time. What they should do is to investigate the matter very quickly because this is going to very influential going forward. It will have an impact on his life, not only his cricketing life, but life in general.
"I hope the ECB really does a good job and quickly. I see people in other workplaces that there are some controversies surrounding them... they are suspended until the case is investigated and if they are clear they go back to their jobs and if not then another action is taken."
A legend of West Indian cricket, Michael Holding has been one of the major exponents of anti-racism campaigns. The former fast bowler recently made an emotional appeal to the ECB to further its efforts in the movement for social justice.
ECB should start looking at players' historic posts: Michael Holding
Michael Holding suggested the ECB should start looking at players' historic social media posts before making team selections.
"I don't know if ECB can go back a decade or more than a decade and investigating everything that someone does," he said. "Perhaps it is correct that they should have done it because if you compare it with other workplaces when you apply for a job, they want to know if you have a Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram account and they go through all that.
"So perhaps the ECB, and yes, it's a multi-billion dollar business, they should be looking at that. And perhaps going forward you'll learn that they will."
Michael Holding also said that Ollie Robinson should only be punished if he hasn't changed his ways in the last few years.
"I did a lot of rubbish as a youngster and as you go through life you learn and you recognize that 'Perhaps I can't behave like that now'," Michael Holding said. "If he did something like that nine years ago and since then he has learned and has changed his ways in the last 2-3 years, I don't think they should come down to hard on him."
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