Our cricketing culture ‘Boys will be boys’ will no longer do

As disturbing as these revelations are, the most disturbing aspect is the reaction of our cricketing authorities. Dhanushka’s lawyer in Australia has defended his client by saying that consensual sex with female partners is in everywhere, or words to that effect

The Dhanushka Gunathilake scandal raises disturbing questions not just about one individual, but our entire sports culture, including its star game, cricket.
Dhanushka was arrested in Australia while on tour on very serious charges – criminal assault and attempted rape. If proven guilty, he could spend years in prison.

The most disturbing revelation is that this is the third time Dhanushka Gunathilake has been accused of serious misconduct with women. In one instance, he was reportedly slapped by a female tourist for making advances at a night club in southern Sri Lanka. The other cases are even more serious, including charges of attempted rape. 

As disturbing as these revelations are, the most disturbing aspect is the reaction of our cricketing authorities. Dhanushka’s lawyer in Australia has defended his client by saying that consensual sex with female partners is in everywhere, or words to that effect.
Though Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has not said that in so many words, their silence on this issue suggests that the thinking is more or less the same – ‘that boys will be boys, and these things happen’.

Consensual sex occurs in the world of sports and athletics all over the world. It doesn’t mean that every athlete or cricketer indulges in it. Some are more attractive to the opposite sex than others, or abide by their own rules off the field

What emerges glaringly from this is the sexism that pervades our sports culture, including the ‘Sacred Cow’ of cricket.
Consensual sex occurs in the world of sports and athletics all over the world. It doesn’t mean that every athlete or cricketer indulges in it. Some are more attractive to the opposite sex than others, or abide by their own rules off the field. 

I remember of incidents where foreign cricketing stars on tour in Sri Lanka were involved in a few incidents with Sri Lankan women. But these cases involved hotel security people rather than the cricketers’ partners for the evening. These men with international reputations knew how to behave with their partners.
Dhanushka was reportedly invited home by a young Australian woman with intention of consensual sex. When she asked him to wear a condom, he allegedly refused, and went so far as to try and strangle her.

This has caused untold damage not only to our cricket but also to the image of Sri Lankan men as a whole. The country’s propensity for political violence is well known internationally. Like our sports culture, our political culture too, is sexist. This incident only serves to enhance the stereotype image of Asian men as prone to violence in their relationships with women.
In criminology, there is a thing called recidivist behaviour. An offender who repeats the same offence falls into a pattern. That is criminal behaviour.
A man who refuses to wear a condom when requested by his partner, whether in marriage, steady relationship or consensual one night stand comes across as an arrogant, sexist male who, theoretically at least, no longer exists in civilized society.

A man who refuses to wear a condom when requested by his partner, whether in marriage, steady relationship or consensual one night stand comes across as an arrogant, sexist male who, theoretically at least, no longer exists in civilized society

Other sporting cultures too, are not immune to this kind of sexism. A few years ago, an English county cricketer was sentenced to jail for slipping in a friend as a substitute for himself in a darkened room while having consensual sex with a female partner.

It’s high time SLC forgot the universal ‘boys will be’ boys’ attitude and put its house in order. It could, for example, organize lectures for our cricketers on proper conduct with women on and off the field. Not everyone needs this, as many are gentlemanly, but one black sheep is enough to bring the entire house into disrepute.
The problem is that cricket is such a sacred cow that almost everyone, including much of the media and the general public, have willingly subscribed to this ‘boys will be boys’ attitude.