Aust, Cricket Team ‘load Of Woofters’ (Press, 18 February 1989)
This is a Generative AI summary of this newspaper article. It may contain errors or omissions. Please note that the language in the summary is reflective of the original article and the societal attitudes of the time in which it was written.
Summary: Aust, Cricket Team ‘load Of Woofters’ (Press, 18 February 1989)
On 18 February 1989, a controversy involving an Alice Springs magistrate, Denis Barritt, and the Australian cricket team made headlines, igniting a spirited response from the British tabloid, the "Daily Express." Barritt had taken a swing at the team’s reputation, suggesting they exhibited "homo-sexual-type behaviour" and engaged in "unmanly activities on the field," statements that roused strong reactions from various quarters. The "Daily Express" echoed sentiments widespread in Britain, declaring that the Australian cricket team was viewed unfavourably, referring to them as a "load of woofters," a derogatory term implying a lack of masculinity. The newspaper relished the controversy, particularly focusing on Australian fast bowler Merv Hughes, suggesting he was unfairly spotlighted in this discussion. Despite the serious implications of Barritt's remarks, the "Express" drew comic relief from Hughes’ persona, portraying him as a hyper-masculine character, comparable to action hero Rambo, who enjoys drinking beer and using strong language. The tabloid noted the phenomenon of "Merv mania" sweeping through Australia, observing fans sporting Merv moustaches as a sign of admiration for the player. In response to Barritt's comments, the Australian Cricket Board (A.C.B.) expressed strong disapproval, with chief executive David Richards declaring the remarks defamatory to each member of the team. The A.C.B. took the matter seriously and had the incident referred to solicitors, indicating potential legal action in response to the accusations. The "Daily Express" mirrored this frustration, labelling the comments as both insulting and a serious affront to the team's reputation, using the phrase "unfair dinkum, mate" to emphasise their disbelief and condemnation of Barritt's statements. The story reflects not only tensions in the world of sports but also prevailing attitudes towards masculinity in Australian culture during the late 1980s, as well as the sensitive nature of accusations regarding sexual orientation in public discourse.
Important Information
The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact
The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand