ICC charges Shannon Gabriel for alleged homophobic remark

Gros Islet (Saint Lucia): The International Cricket Council(ICC) has charged West Indies pacer Shannon Gabriel after allegedly making a homophobic remark in an altercation with England captain Joe Root during the third Test.

Stump microphones picked up an interaction on the third day in St Lucia between Gabriel and Root, in which the latter responded: "Don't use it as an insult. There's nothing wrong with being gay."

The right-arm pacer was also given a warning by the on-field umpires Rod Tucker and Kumar Dharmasena about his language. The umpires, later, laid a formal charge against Gabriel.

The ICC, cricket's governing body, on Tuesday said Gabriel had been charged with a breach of its code of conduct in relation to the "personal abuse" of a player, umpire or match referee.

• "Don't use it as an insult. There's nothing wrong with being gay."
  
  Joe Root responds to sledging from Windies bowler Shannon Gabriel.
  
  Full story: https://t.co/nRfSmWU5q6 pic.twitter.com/ghoDyGxUOi

  — Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 12, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

"Don't use it as an insult. There's nothing wrong with being gay."

Joe Root responds to sledging from Windies bowler Shannon Gabriel.

Full story: https://t.co/nRfSmWU5q6 pic.twitter.com/ghoDyGxUOi

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 12, 2019 ">

"Don't use it as an insult. There's nothing wrong with being gay."

Joe Root responds to sledging from Windies bowler Shannon Gabriel.

Full story: https://t.co/nRfSmWU5q6 pic.twitter.com/ghoDyGxUOi

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) February 12, 2019

"The charge, which was laid by match umpires, will now be dealt with by Match Referee Jeff Crowe. Until the proceedings have concluded, the ICC will not comment further," it said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, England won the third Test against West Indies by 232 runs but lost the three-match series as they had conceded defeat in the first two Tests.