Cricket Australia has announced changes to its Code of Conduct that will allow David Warner to apply for his leadership ban to be lifted.
Warner was handed the lifetime ban in the wake of the sandpaper scandal in South Africa in 2018.
Cricket Australia’s head of integrity, Jacqui Partridge, conducted the review after a request from the board.
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“Under the changes, players and support staff can now apply to have long-term sanctions modified,” CA said in a statement.
“Any applications will be considered by a three-person review panel, comprising independent Code of Conduct commissioners, which must be satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist to justify modifying a sanction.”
According to CA, a number of factors will be taken into account if Warner applies to have the ban lifted.
“These circumstances and considerations will include whether the subject of the sanction has demonstrated genuine remorse; the subject’s conduct and behaviour since the imposition of the sanction; whether rehabilitation programs have been undertaken (if applicable) and the length of time that has passed since the sanction was imposed and whether sufficient time has passed to allow for reform or rehabilitation,” it said.
Following the Cape Town Test of 2018, Warner was suspended for 12 months and banned from holding any leadership position for the rest of his career. Steve Smith was also outed for 12 months, with an additional 12 month leadership ban, while Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months.
Although Warner can apply to have the leadership ban overturned, it’s no guarantee he’d be given the job if it was available.
Newly-appointed one-day captain Pat Cummins was rested from Saturday’s match against England at the SCG, with Josh Hazlewood leading in his place.
Steve Smith and Alex Carey could also do the job.
But Warner could be in line to captain the Sydney Thunder, having recently signed a two-year deal with the BBL club.
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