Piers Morgan has been accused of hypocrisy over differing comments on Simone Biles and Cricketer Ben Stokes, who have both taken time from their sports to deal with mental health issues.
It was announced Ben Stokes “will take an indefinite break from all cricket with immediate effect”, the England and Wales Cricket Board has announced.
The 30-year-old all-rounder will play no part in the forthcoming Test series against India in a bid to safeguard his mental health and rest his injured finger.
An ECB statement read: “The England and Wales Cricket Board can confirm that England men’s all-rounder Ben Stokes will take an indefinite break from all cricket with immediate effect.
“Stokes has withdrawn from England’s Test squad ahead of the LV= Insurance Test series against India starting next week to prioritise his mental wellbeing and to rest his left index finger, which has not fully healed since his return to competitive cricket earlier this month.
“The ECB fully supports Ben’s decision and we will continue to help him during this period away from the game.”
We wish Ben all the luck and hope he can get the support he needs.
Morgan slammed gymnast Simone Biles for withdrawing from competitions in Tokyo to “focus on [her] wellbeing”, only to refuse to criticise cricketer Ben Stokes for doing the same thing when he announced an “indefinite” break from the sport.
Morgan wrote in a MailOnline column last week: “When you call yourself the [Greatest Of All Time] in sport, you can’t then quit the moment things get tough or you make a mistake. Something I’m sure Simone Biles, in her heart, must realise because she’s a great champion and great champions just don’t do that.”
One Twitter user asked Morgan for his stance on Ben Stokes’ decision, he said he wouldn’t call it “’tremendously courageous’, ‘inspiring’ or ‘heroic’ as some are saying”.
When another questioned if he would say to Stokes that “you have let down your team-mates, your fans and your country” – words used in the headline for his Newspaper article he wrote” “If he quit in the middle of a test match with no physical injury, leaving his teammates in the lurch like Simon Biles [sic] did, and complained he wasn’t having enough ‘fun’, then I would have said that.
“Especially if he had GOAT embroidered on his shirt.
“But he didn’t. So I didn’t.”
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Related: Simone Biles response leaves Piers Morgan with his tail between his legs
