Former Australian cricketer Glenn McGrath, who was appointed to be part of the commentary team for the upcoming Ashes on ABC, has now parted ways after McGrath’s management team informed the broadcasters about the upcoming deal between the player and the Bet365 agency.
“The ABC and Glenn McGrath have mutually parted ways for this Ashes. We look forward to seeing Glenn around the grounds throughout the series and would welcome working with him in the future. Our great commentary team, led by Jim Maxwell and Corbin Middlemas, is excited for the first test in Perth this Friday,” said an ABC Spokesperson.
The first Ashes Test will start on Friday at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
This is not the first time a high-profile player has left the ABC due to connections with the betting company. Earlier, fast bowler Mitchell Johnson too had to leave his commentary commitments. However, he was critical of the broadcasters. “You start to wonder about what you can and can’t say if you are calling for them,” Johnson said in 2022.
“It’s blown me away a little bit: do we have to make sure we have to align with the ABC’s moral compass? There’s nothing I can do about it … that’s the rule, and I guess I’m not going to work with them,” said Johnson.
The betting agencies do get themselves associated with high-profile athletes to endorse their brands to create awareness. “celebrity endorsements can be an effective way of marketing gambling because people are less likely to view something as risky if they trust the person promoting the product,” was found in a report by late Labor Australia MP, Peta Murphy.
Current Australian opener Usman Khawaja, too, was quite vocal about betting and players’ associations with it. “If gambling is repeatedly being brought together with sport and athletes, showing you can’t watch sport without gambling, then it is a very, very dangerous precedent to set,” Khawaja said.
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