KEY POINTS
- Rob Key condemned any “drinking culture,” calling the behaviour unacceptable for an international team.
- The probe is an unwelcome distraction as England fights to avoid a heavy Ashes series defeat.
QUEENSLAND, Australia: England’s cricket management has launched an investigation into allegations that the national team’s four-day trip to the Queensland resort of Noosa between the second and third Ashes Tests descended into a heavy-drinking “stag-do.”
Managing Director Rob Key confirmed the probe, stating that reports of excessive alcohol consumption are being looked into and are “completely unacceptable.”
According to The Daily Mail, Rob Key was unequivocal in his stance, stating, “Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol for an international cricket team is not something I’d expect to see at any stage.”
He added, “If they’re drinking lots and it’s a stag-do, all that type of stuff, that’s completely unacceptable. I’m not a drinker, and I think a drinking culture doesn’t help anyone in any stretch whatsoever.”
He clarified that he had no issue with the trip itself if it was for relaxation, but emphasised that the line is drawn at excessive partying.
Unwanted Distraction
The investigation into the Sunshine Coast break comes as an unwelcome distraction for the England squad, which is battling to avoid another Ashes whitewash in Australia.
Key revealed that the team had already been spoken to this winter after an Instagram post showed players drinking the night before an ODI in New Zealand.
While he deemed that incident worthy of an “informal” warning, he insisted the current allegations are more serious.
“We’ve added security, and we’ve got enough ways of finding out exactly what happened,” Key stated, promising a thorough review of the Noosa trip’s events.
