West Indies batting legend Lawrence Rowe is taking legal action against the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) for their decision to remove his name from the Players Pavilion at Sabina Park.
The Jamaica Observer newspaper reported that lawyers for the former batting star had already served notice on the JCA, the local governing body for the sport.
Last month, the JCA pulled Rowe’s name from the pavilion after he made several controversial comments in an interview.
The Observer said Rowe is seeking to have his name reinstated.
Rowe represented West Indies in 30 Tests between l972 and l980 with an average of 43.55 but was one of several “rebel” cricketers defying an international sanction to play in South Africa during the apartheid years.
As a result, he was slapped with a ban from cricket, which effectively ended his international career.
The JCA’s announcement earlier this year that it would honor Rowe with a stand at the famous cricket venue sparked a heated public debate, with many suggesting the honor was inappropriate.
This resulted in the JCA asking Rowe to tender a public apology over the “rebel” incident.
Rowe obliged but then defended his participation in the tours during a subsequent radio interview, arguing they may have contributed to the dismantling of apartheid.
Explaining the decision to revoke Rowe’s honor last month, Wright said the JCA had been “embarrassed by Rowe’s statements in the interview” and noted that the former player “showed no remorse.”
Rowe currently resides in the USA.
