South Africa’s Kapp receives reprimand for swearing during ODI, marking second breach of ICC code in a week

South Africa all-rounder Marizanne Kapp has been reprimanded for using obscene language during the first ODI against Sri Lanka. The incident took place in the 44th over of South Africa’s innings on Tuesday. Kapp accepted the sanction proposed by the match referee without the need for a formal hearing.

Kapp was found to have breached Article 2.3 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. This is her second offence in 24 months, leading to a total of two demerit points. The first demerit point was received during a Women’s T20I against Sri Lanka on April 5.

The on-field umpires and match officials levelled the charge against Kapp. She admitted the offence and accepted the sanction. The ICC Code of Conduct states that Level 1 breaches can result in an official reprimand, a fine of up to 50% of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.

In response to the incident, the International Cricket Council (ICC) informed, “Kapp admitted to have breached Article 2.3 and accepted the sanction proposed by Shandre Fritz of the ICC. Therefore, there was no requirement for a formal hearing.”

The ICC has been strict regarding player behavior on the field. Any breach of the Code of Conduct is dealt with severity as it sets a standard for players to maintain discipline and respect during international matches.