DURBAN, March 27: Durban’s deputy mayor boycotted a visit by disgraced Australian cricketer ‘Shame’ Warne to the city, a South African newspaper said.

The Daily News led its front page with a report headlined “Shameless Warne” in which participation of leg spinner in an event targeted at school children was questioned.

Warne was sent home before he was able to bowl a ball in 2003 World Cup after testing positive for a banned substance found in a slimming agent he had taken.

Warne is back in South Africa for a tour of speaking engagements and promotional activities that were agreed before the drugs scandal broke.

“I have a question over whether Warne is a suitable role model for our young people,” deputy mayor Logie Naidoo told the paper in explaining his decision not to attend the event.

“I suppose from a purely cricket development point of view he might be inspiring to children but, given the recent drugs debacle, I think there are many people who would have a problem with his visit.”

Community activist Sulosh Pillay said Warne’s appearance in underprivileged suburb of Phoenix was insensitive to challenges facing the community.

“We at Phoenix have our own problems with drugs and Warne cannot help us,” the paper quoted Pillay as saying. “He should stay at home.”

One of the organisers of Warne’s visit was adamant the visit would be of value to those it reached.

“I am very proud to be presenting Shane to my community,” Julian Kisten told the paper. “The children will not see him as bad role model. They will only see him for great star he is.

“Shane Warne is one of world’s best cricketers but he has agreed to visit our community, an underprivileged community. We are not too small for him.”—PPI