NEW DELHI: A court in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on Tuesday granted bail to an Australian man named Wen Johnson, who was arrested for intruding onto the pitch during the ICC World Cup final in Ahmedabad.
Johnson, wearing a pro-Palestine T-shirt, had managed to breach security and reach the pitch at Narendra Modi Stadium during the final match between India and Australia.
The court released Johnson on bail with the condition that he would cooperate in the investigation and deposit his passport. He had been remanded in police custody for a day prior to the court appearance.
Charged with criminal trespass and causing harm to deter public servants from performing their duty, Johnson was apprehended by security personnel after attempting to approach Virat Kohli on the field.
He entered the stadium as a regular spectator, jumped the railing, and pushed aside policemen in an attempt to hug Kohli.
Wearing a face mask with the design of a Palestine flag and a T-shirt with slogans advocating for Palestine, Johnson stated to the police that he entered the ground as a big fan of Virat Kohli.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Johnson is a habitual offender and has faced similar charges for invading sports fields in his home country in the past.
(With PTI inputs)The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment