Why Candice Warner turned down Cricket Australia’s offer of security for South Africa Test match

Candice Warner and all Australian Test cricket team WAGs have been offered security after the wife of David Warner and her children were abused by fans in Adelaide – but she has turned down the offer, saying she can ‘stick up for myself’. 

It is the first time South Africa has played a Test series in Australia since the infamous Sandpapergate scandal in 2018 and a sold-out crowd is expected at the Gabba in Brisbane for day one on Saturday.

Candice Warner explains why she turned down Cricket Australia’s offer of security for the first Test against South Africa in Brisbane starting this Saturday

That series saw Warner and captain Steve Smith banned for 12 months for ball tampering while Cameron Bancroft was suspended for nine months.

‘This [the abuse] happens quite a bit and with the Test series against South Africa, it’s nice to know that if a situation was to arise like 2018, that I do feel safe and my family feels protected,’ she said.

Candice said she received the call from Cricket Australia around lunchtime on Monday after she had spoken on her Triple M Summer Breakfast radio show about the abuse she copped in Adelaide. 

‘It was just about midday, I was at home and I got the call just saying, “Look, we don’t want you or your family to feel unsafe at the cricket. We know how much your support means to David and the team, this is what we’d like to offer”‘, she said.

Warner is under pressure to score runs and could potentially face a hostile element in the crowd with South Africa touring for a Test series for the first time since Sandpapergate

‘I just said it’s unnecessary, I don’t need an escort, I am very independent, I can stick up for myself.

‘It’s more about the safety of all the players and their partners and their family and just everyone in general.

‘I want to be able to go to the cricket because it is such a great day out and feel safe and feel like they can be there without being attacked.’

Candice also revealed that the abuse levelled at her in front of her daughters had been personal and not related to her husband. 

‘It’s got nothing to do with Dave, it’s about my past and it’s about me,’ she said.

‘Anyone that is out there that is wanting to heckle me on social media, it is not about David. This was a personal attack on me.

David Warner arrives with his wife Candice and their children at Sydney International Airport on Thursday following Sandpapergate

‘But going forward with Cricket Australia, as a mum of three daughters it is paramount that their safety is paramount.’

Candice also spoke about the pain of the abuse she and David Warner received in South Africa when the ball tampering scandal incident occurred.

The Test opener had an altercation with South African wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock in a stairwell after a vile sledge was directed at him.

Candice was ridiculed by fans who wore Sonny Bill Williams masks at the second Test in South Africa and posed for photos with South African cricket officials.

South African cricket officials happily pose with cricket fans wearing Sonny Bill Williams masks to mock Candice Warner

It means the South Africa Test series has the potential to be explosive and Candice said all WAGs had been given access to a phone number to arrange for instant security if they felt unsafe.  

‘If at any stage I feel like I need that, then I have a phone number that I can call, as does everyone else. It is not just special attention for myself or the Warners, at all,’ she said.

‘2018 for me personally, before everything else happened, was very hard.

South African cricket fans also wore masks portraying Steve Smith crying after the ball tampering incident

‘When you’re the subject of people again trying to mock me in the crowd and I am not going to go into it, because it is not a poor me story at all.

‘But it does concern me, it does make me a little bit nervous but I am sure being in Australia that won’t happen.

‘On that particular day, or few days in South Africa were the worst that I’ve encountered, for sure

‘But this Test series is going to be played in Australia, so I’m sure we won’t go down that path ever again.’