- Disgraced cricket star allowed to play cricket in WA
- Alex Hepburn was jailed in the UK in 2019 for rape
- The all-rounder will continue playing in the Western Australian league
Cricketer Alex Hepburn has been given the green light to play in Australia despite his ban from playing the sport in England and Wales for raping a sleeping woman.
The Western Australian Cricket Association confirmed Hepburn will continue playing in the WA League for the Willetton Dragons, just days after her ban.
The 28-year-old professional athlete, who played in the United Kingdom for Worcestershire, was imprisoned in 2019 after committing the rape after setting up a group chat for a ‘sexual conquest’.
Following an appeal in 2020, his conviction for the attack inside an apartment in Worcester was upheld, but he was released from prison in 2021.
This year, the Cricket Regulator charged Hepburn with two breaches of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Directives 2017.
In September, the independent Cricket Disciplinary Commission decided to impose a ten-year ban on Hepburn after she failed to respond to the breaches.
The rapist must also undergo “appropriate professional treatment” in relation to the acts for which he was convicted.
Cricketer Alex Hepburn (pictured) has been allowed to continue playing sport in Australia despite being banned from competing in England and Wales for 10 years.
The talented all-rounder was found guilty of raping a woman in 2019.
Despite the ban, the WA District Cricket Board allowed Hepburn to continue playing in Australia.
“The Cricket Disciplinary Commission and the UK Cricket Regulator have no jurisdiction in Western Australia,” a WA Cricket Association spokeswoman said.
‘The Western Australian District Cricket Board is responsible for decisions relating to player eligibility in the Premier Cricket competition.
The Western Australian Cricket Association confirmed Hepburn will continue to play in the WA League for the Willetton Dragons.
“From WA Cricket to club cricket, systems and policies are in place to safeguard and protect those who play our game.”
Joe Clarke and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Hepburn’s former teammates, were charged by the ECB in 2019 with bringing the game into disrepute after being part of the WhatsApp group. The couple was not charged with any criminal offense.
