Racism: CA to get tough against fans

The Melbourne Cricket Club has ruled out separating fans at the MCG as a fiery summer of looms between Aus and India.

The Melbourne Cricket Club has ruled out separating fans at the MCG as a fiery summer of looms between Australia and India.

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Talks will start soon between the MCC, Cricket Australia (CA) and Cricket Victoria on security measures to be implemented for the Boxing Day Test and one-day games.

MCC chief executive Stephen Gough expects a tough stance will be taken with fans who repeat the ugly incidents in India, where racial abuse was hurled at Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds.

The thrust of CA’s marketing campaign this summer will be “Don’t Go Ape” in a bid to ward off acts of retaliation against touring Indian and Sri Lankan teams.

“I would think that they (CA) have pretty strong guidelines about spectator behaviour and they’d be looking for us to enforce those,” Gough said.

“They’ll be in line with the International Cricket Council’s policy and their interpretations of the local scene.

“I think the greatest strength of sport in Australia has been the ability to have all groups mingle throughout the ground.”