Retired Australian Test batsman Usman Khawaja helped launch a national campaign on June 30, 2026 [2], to encourage the reporting of anti-Muslim behavior.

Khawaja, the first Muslim to play international cricket for Australia, is using his public profile to address the rising tide of Islamophobia. The initiative aims to raise awareness of the abuse faced by Muslim communities and provide a framework for reporting hate-driven incidents [1, 2].

During the launch, the 39-year-old athlete highlighted the personal toll that prejudice has taken on him and his family [2]. He said he experienced isolation during his professional career, noting that the pressure extended beyond the cricket pitch.

"I felt like an outsider for much of my time with the side," Khawaja said [1].

The campaign comes amid reports of intensifying anti-Muslim rhetoric within the country. Khawaja said that the current climate of intolerance is more severe than in previous years, a trend that necessitates a collective public response.

"Hate is more prevalent than it has been before," Khawaja said [2].

Organizers of the campaign said reporting is critical to tracking the scale of the problem and holding perpetrators accountable. By centering the campaign on lived experiences, the organizers hope to humanize the impact of religious discrimination, and foster greater social cohesion across Australia [1, 2].

“"I felt like an outsider for much of my time with the side."”

The involvement of a high-profile sporting figure like Khawaja signals a shift toward using cultural icons to address systemic social issues in Australia. By focusing on the reporting of anti-Muslim behavior, the campaign seeks to move from passive awareness to active data collection and legal accountability, reflecting a broader effort to combat the normalization of hate speech in public spaces.