Ben Stokes loses sponsor after night brawl incident

Ben Stokes will not travel with the squad for the Ashes series. (Source: Reuters)

Under-fire England all-rounder Ben Stokes has had a rough few weeks. Ever since his brawl at Bristol on September 26 came to light, Stokes has had to face widespread criticism and also face an arrest. In the latest development, adding to his woes, sportswear brand, New Balance, has decided to terminate its contract with Ben Stokes and its association with the player.

In a statement released New Balance, stated, “New Balance does not condone behaviour by our global athletes that does not match our brand culture and values, and therefore we have ended our relationship with Ben Stokes, effective October 11, 2017. We will not provide further comment.

Earlier, Stokes’s brawl made headlines after a 45-second video surfaced on the internet showing the all-rounder getting involved in an ugly fight outside a bar. This led to widespread criticism as Stokes faed flak for his alleged behaviour. Former England all-rounder Kevin Pietersen was among the many who came down hard on Stokes and claimed that he should not be allowed to travel for the Ashes. Reacting to the incident he said, “That 45-second video is brutal. The more you watch it the more shocking it is. I have watched it with some influential leaders in business and the general view was, ‘you cannot represent your country with a video like that going around’. It is a view I agree with.”