Racism in cricket

[OMB]

Racism exists everywhere and it is not just a black brown yellow or white thing.
Since the white racists ruled over most of the others and were perceived aggressors over the history, they will always end up answering more than others in the present

 

[MenInG]

Former West Indies star Michael Holding has said "now is your time to be heard" as he urged individuals to share experiences of "unfair treatment" or "being supported" as part of a wide-ranging inquiry into cricket.

The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) is seeking to gather details of discrimination and highlight examples of good practice in the elite and grassroots game.

Equality campaigner Mr Holding said: "This is a game that I love and have dedicated my life to.

"I urge anyone who has experienced racism, sexism, elitism, or any kind of unfair treatment in cricket, anyone who has a story to share about being included, welcomed, or supported to respond to the commission's call for evidence.

"Now is your time to be heard, to share your story and be a part of the change the game so desperately needs."

The ICEC will be setting out recommendations to make the sport more inclusive.

An online survey opens on Tuesday with submissions invited until 21 December.

Yorkshire cricket racism: Former official says other counties are having 'the same problem' as fans call for further resignations

A view of Yorkshire Cricket Club signage during a nets session at Emerald Headingley, Leeds
Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate whether 'deeply concerning' incidents of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club were illegal

Written evidence can also be submitted to the commission, with more information on how to do so set to be shared on its website next month.

The ICEC was set up by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in March of this year and will use the evidence it gathers to inform a report on the level of equity in the sport.

It comes at a time when discrimination in cricket is in the spotlight, with Yorkshire having been heavily criticised over their handling of racism and bullying allegations made by former player Azeem Rafiq.

Mr Holding, an ex-fast bowler, has previously spoken openly about being a victim of racism and last week told Sky News the ECB should have suspended Yorkshire County Cricket Club "immediately" over the recent racism allegations.

He said Yorkshire and the ECB were "lacking in backbone" and were "afraid to take the right action".

New Yorkshire chair Lord Patel has apologised to Azeem Rafiq over the county's handling of his racism and bullying allegations.

The county have been widely criticised, with the ECB's suspension of their right to host international matches and other major games set to hit their finances hard.

A number of sponsors have also cut their ties with the club.

On Monday, Lord Patel said: "Azeem is a whistleblower and should be praised as such, he should never have been put through this.

"We're sorry for what you and your family have experienced and the way in which we've handled this.

"I thank Azeem for his bravery in speaking out. Let me be clear from the outset, racism or discrimination in any form is not banter."

SKY

 

[Robert]

Andrew Gale is sacked as YCCC head coach.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Essex Cricket Chief Executive, John Stephenson, has issued the following statement:

“I am extremely shocked and saddened to hear of historic racial allegations involving a former player, dating back to 2001. There is absolutely no place for discrimination of any kind at Essex County Cricket Club and we have a zero-tolerance policy towards racism.

“I immediately reached out to the former player to offer him my and Essex County Cricket Club’s full support and to encourage him to come forward and talk to myself and the Club about his experiences.

“We will put the right care in place for him and we applaud his bravery and courage for speaking out on such a sensitive issue after all these years.

“As Chief Executive, I am committed to upholding the Club’s multicultural and diverse values. All allegations, regardless of when they took place, will be investigated thoroughly and urgently. We are working with the ECB to assist us with these investigations.

“There has never been a place, nor will there ever be a place, for any kind of prejudice at Essex County Cricket Club.”

Essex County Cricket Club are encouraging former players, staff or anybody associated with the Club who has experienced discrimination during their time at Essex to come forward either in person or anonymously.

 

[Hassaan HS]

Essex: Former player Zoheb Sharif makes racism allegations dating back to 2001

Former Essex player Zoheb Sharif has made allegations of racist abuse relating to his time at the club between 2001 and 2004.

It comes after Essex chief executive John Stephenson said on Saturday he was "extremely saddened" an ex-player had made racism allegations.

Batter Sharif, now 38, started playing for Essex at the age of eight.

He went on to make four County Championship appearances for the club before being released.

"It was a day after the September 11 attacks. People started calling me Bomber," Sharif told the Mirror.

"I didn't say anything at the time. I was a teenager in a dressing room with big characters. To them it was banter. To me it wasn't, but you don't want to do anything to block your chance of getting into the first team."

On Saturday, Stephenson said that he was "extremely shocked and saddened" to learn of a racism allegation.

"There is absolutely no place for discrimination of any kind at Essex County Cricket Club," he added.Essex said they are encouraging any former players, staff or those associated with the club to come forward, either in person or anonymously, if they had experienced discrimination.

"I immediately reached out to the former player to offer him my and Essex County Cricket Club's full support and to encourage him to come forward and talk to myself and the club about his experiences," said Stephenson.

"We will put the right care in place for him and we applaud his bravery and courage for speaking out on such a sensitive issue after all these years.

"All allegations, regardless of when they took place, will be investigated thoroughly and urgently."

On Friday, Essex chairman John Faragher resigned following an allegation he used racist language in a 2017 board meeting, which he denies.

Sharif's allegations come in the wake of a racism scandal at Yorkshire that has engulfed cricket.

A report found former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq was a victim of "racial harassment and bullying" but the county said it would not discipline anyone, drawing widespread condemnation.

Chief executive Mark Arthur and chairman Roger Hutton have both resigned, while on Tuesday, Yorkshire suspended coach Andrew Gale for a tweet he sent in 2010.

Yorkshire will open an independent whistleblowing hotline for victims of discrimination on Monday.

"Azeem has shone a light on what's been going on," said Sharif, who says he sees "many parallels" between the Rafiq case and what he has been through.

Via : https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/5..._custom4=5706A868-454F-11EC-BAC3-75D14744363C

 

[transparent opacity]

Maurice Chambers: ‘Appalled’ ECB vows to investigate fresh racism claims
The former Essex player claims he was subjected to racist bullying for 10 years at the club

The England and Wales Cricket Board has said it is “appalled” by fresh racism claims made by former Essex player Maurice Chambers and has vowed to investigate the matter alongside the other allegations at the club.

Chambers described in an interview with The Cricketer how he was allegedly subjected to racist bullying for 10 years at the club, including having bananas thrown at him and frequently being subjected to racist jokes.

An ECB spokesperson said: “The ECB is appalled by the behaviour that Maurice Chambers has described, of which no person should ever have to endure. There is absolutely no room for racism in cricket.

“We are sorry that Maurice has only been able to feel comfortable to speak out after his playing career had ended and as a game we must ensure that can not prevail.

“We will be investigating this alongside the other allegations at Essex and applaud Maurice for his bravery in coming forward.”

The new development follows allegations made over the weekend by former Essex batter Zoheb Sharif, who said he received racist abuse that included being called “bomber” by his team-mates after the September 11 attack.

Jamaica-born Chambers described one alleged incident that happened at a house he was temporarily sharing with another, unnamed player following a team night out.

Chambers told The Cricketer: “We had a team night out in Chelmsford The other player got pretty drunk. When I got home, he threw a banana down the stairs and said: ‘Climb for it, you f***ing monkey.'”

Chambers said the player in question was told to apologise, but they continued to live in the same house.

He said: “It was humiliating. It was isolating. I never told anyone, but I would go home at the end of the day and cry.”

On another occasion, Chambers recounted how a coach laughed when a senior player offered him a banana. Chambers added: “It was humiliating. It was isolating. I never told anyone, but I would go home at the end of the day and cry.”

Essex chief executive John Stephenson said in a statement on Monday: “I am extremely disappointed to hear of further historic racial allegations from a former player about two of his team-mates and an ex-member of staff, none of whom are currently involved with the club in any capacity.

It was humiliating. It was isolating. I never told anyone, but I would go home at the end of the day and cry.

“The allegations reported today, involving Essex and another club, make distressing reading. Everything which has been reported will be taken very seriously and investigated thoroughly.

“After learning of the allegations last night, I instantly contacted the former player to offer the club’s full support.

“He has shown immense bravery in coming forward and in speaking with us about the incidents he describes. I appreciate how difficult this must be for him.

“The club will rigorously investigate all allegations while we have also referred this matter to the ECB.”

Chambers also made an allegation of racism concerning his time at Northamptonshire saying a senior player, who he describes as a “bully”, would sing along to songs using the ‘N’ word on the team bus.

Northamptonshire said in a statement: “Racism is the antithesis of what Northamptonshire County Cricket Club stands for.

“The club is proud to have welcomed cricketers from many different nations, communities and traditions over many years and will continue to do so.

“The club is disappointed to hear of Maurice’s experience and this clearly goes against the expectation we hold for all Northamptonshire players and staff.

“We welcome the opportunity to talk directly with Maurice and any past player about their time with Northamptonshire and encourage them to reach out.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/essex-northamptonshire-chelmsford-b1957964.html

 

[MenInG]

SOMERSET CCC: STATEMENT NOVEMBER 18

Late on Sunday evening, Somerset County Cricket Club was made aware of allegations in relation to social media posts which had racist connotations made by one of our current players, Jack Brooks, while he was employed by another County in 2012.

Jack was made aware of these allegations and the Club immediately launched an investigation.

Subsequently, in addition to the social media posts, claims that Jack was involved in the adoption of the nickname “Steve” for an overseas player at Yorkshire were also investigated.

No additional information or allegations were uncovered by the Select Committee on Tuesday and Jack has confirmed that he was not invited to participate in the review conducted by Yorkshire CCC.

As a result of our internal investigation, alongside the evidence given to MPs this week and now in the public domain, the Club have spoken with Jack at length about the nature and content of his comments. There is no doubt that these comments are unacceptable.

Somerset CCC condemn the use of language which has any racist connotations. Jack agrees with this sentiment and is embarrassed and devastated that his comments offended people and he has acknowledged that, whilst they were made nearly a decade ago when he was less mature, the content of the posts was wrong and not in accordance with his personal values. Jack has engaged honestly and openly throughout the investigation and unreservedly apologies for his past errors.

Before arriving at conclusions, the Club considered a number of factors including no evidence of repeated documented behaviour of this kind, the contrition shown by Jack throughout the process, feedback received from recipients of the social media posts, and his commitment to his own personal development.

Given these considerations, the Club has decided to reprimand Jack, remind him of his responsibilities and require him to participate in extensive training on Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity.

There is no place for racism at Somerset Cricket or across the game as a whole. The Club encourages anyone with information on incidents which may have occurred in the past to report them to the Club to ensure that lessons are learned. Any information received will be kept confidential and investigated. We are listening.

The Club is extremely disappointed to hear that Jack and his partner have this week been in receipt of threatening posts on social media. These have been reported to the relevant authorities for further investigation.

Somerset County Cricket Club and Jack Brooks will be making no further comment on this matter.

https://www.somersetcountycc.co.uk/news/club-news/somerset-ccc-statement-november-18/

 

[MenInG]

Sussex’s Tymal Mills has released the following statement via the club:

“In relation to the social media post from 2012 from Jack Brooks, I feel compelled to comment given how prominent issues such as this are currently.

“Jack and I have spoken about it and I know how much he regrets having used the language he did.

“I believe it is right that both as a sport and as a society, we must go through a thorough process of reflection and introspection regarding the language we use towards each other and how we treat each other.

“Jack has apologised to me profusely and sincerely which I have accepted and I still consider him to be a good friend.
“I consider this matter to be closed and do not wish to comment on it any further.”

 

[transparent opacity]

Essex racism: Sponsors Seetec cut ties with club as more allegations rock cricket following Yorkshire scandal

A second county is being hit with historic racism allegations following the fallout of the Azeem Rafiq affair at Yorkshire

The fallout from county cricket’s racism crisis gathered pace on Tuesday night when one of Essex’s principal sponsors suspended its ties with the club.

The move followed a third player from the county coming forward with allegations of racist abuse. In an interview with The Cricketer, Jahid Ahmed detailed how he was made to feel like an outsider during his four years with the county.

He also said that his voice was mocked by some of his teammates and some members of the coaching staff and got to the stage where he came to “dread” going into the club.
Ahmed is the third former Essex player to come forward with allegations of racist abuse, following similar claims by Zoheb Sharif and Maurice Chambers.


Seetec is listed as one of eight Platinum Club Partners on the Essex website and confirmed to i that it was suspending its ties with the club as a result of the historic and deeply damaging allegations.

“We have suspended our ties with Essex County Cricket Club with immediate effect,” said a company spokesman. “Through the services we deliver, our employee owners work with diverse communities to help people realise their life ambitions. This is part of our wider commitment to social inclusion as it is important to us that the communities we serve have equal access to opportunity. Any form of racism should not be tolerated.”

The move will create considerable unease at Chelmsford, with the Essex board having seen the fallout from Azeem Rafiq’s allegations at Yorkshire, where the withdrawal of one sponsor created a domino effect at Headingley. The likes of Yorkshire Tea and Nike were just two high*profile *sponsors to pull out of deals with the county.

The ECB then suspended the county from hosting international matches as a result of Yorkshire’s heel-dragging over the publication of Rafiq’s report.

There is a sense that Essex have been far more proactive, with chief executive John Stephenson moving quickly to set up a reporting line for former players and staff who have experienced racism at the county.

The county is also working with a QC and preparing for an independent investigation into the historic racism allegations.

“The [Ahmed] allegations make difficult reading and they will be treated and investigated with the utmost seriousness,” Stephenson said.

“I have reached out to him to offer him our full support, and I hope he feels encouraged and comfortable enough to be a part of our imminent investigation. It is clear as a sport there is a lot of work to be done, but we are moving in the right direction. The next period is going to be extremely difficult, especially for those sharing their experiences, but together, we will come out the other side better for it.”

Another of Essex’s main sponsors, Cloudfm, said it was continuing with its sponsorship. Cloudfm Group CEO Jeff Dewing said: “Cloudfm has a zero tolerance policy towards any form of racism and discrimination.

“We are satisfied that the steps taken are extensive enough to address the issue and are continuing our sponsorship of the club at this time.”

https://inews.co.uk/sport/cricket/e...cricket-yorkshire-scandal-azeem-rafiq-1316376

 

[MenInG]

 

[MenInG]

(Reuters) - West Indies bowling great Michael Holding wants more sportspeople to step forward and speak out against racism because they have an important platform, he said in an interview at  the  Reuters Next conference on Wednesday.

Holding said it was important that public figures used their celebrity and status to get across important messages, particularly on racism.

“If people who have a platform and who are able to reach out and get people to listen and people to understand, say nothing, then who will?” he asked.

“There are sportspeople who are well known throughout the entire world. If they get up and say something, people around the world will want to hear what they have to say and will want to try to understand what they had to say.

“And that’s the reason why people with a platform, people with a name, people that are recognised all over the world, need to speak up about things that affect them and affect the world,” Holding said.

Holding, regarded as one of cricket’s authoritative commentators and regularly used by broadcasters worldwide, has spoken out extensively on racism since an emotive plea for society to change its attitudes following the murder in May 2020 in the United States of a Black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer. Floyd’s death led to the Black Lives Matter movement going global.

He has published a book “Why we Kneel, How We Rise” which covers racism in sport and has contributions from several high profile Black athletes.

He said athletes should not have to confine their opinions to sporting matters.

“When they leave the arena, or the basketball courts, they have to go back into society to live a normal life. If they are affected by society, they have to speak up and use their platform.”

Holding also said there was a danger that the recent accusations of racism in English county cricket would be compartmentalised into “small boxes” when they were part of a larger societal problem.

“We know it’s a cricket problem, because it’s happening now in cricket. But don’t put it in a little box because it’s comfortable to put it in a box. It’s not only football or cricket has a (racism) problem. It’s a society that has a problem. And that is what we need to fix, that’s we need to start. If we can accept that it’s society and not try to put it in small boxes, then we can get somewhere.”

Holding said education ensured unconscious bias and required urgent review, with governments needing to take the lead.

“The history of mankind has not been taught, what has been taught is what suits our particular narrative. And that narrative is white superiority. Everything taught, even in Africa, in the Caribbean, where I’m from, highlights what white folks have done.

“But what about what people of colour have done? They don’t teach that. And that is why I highlighted in my book, so many discoveries, so many innovations, so many things that people of colour have done, that they need to teach.

“People must recognise that it’s all folks from different denominations and from different sectors and different parts of the world have done great things,” Holding told the Reuters Next conference.

 

[MenInG]

CSA CONFIRMS RECEIPT OF SJN REPORT

JOHANNESBURG: CSA confirms that the report compiled by the Social Justice and Nation Building (SJN) Ombudsman, Adv Dumisa Ntsebeza has been received and is now available on our website. CSA is very pleased to have received the report, which follows the Ombudsman’s important hearings into the causes, nature and extent of racial discrimination and lack of transformation in all cricket structures since unification 30 years ago.

The Ombudsman’s process was initially due to last four months but was later extended to over six months at the Ombudsman’s request. CSA made available extensive legal and other resources to this Ombudsman for this process, including spending more than R7.5 million on the process, despite an initial budget of R5 million.

While the Ombudsman's report commends CSA’s efforts to address the injustices of the past, it highlights that much still needs to be done. It recommends improved internal and confidential grievance procedures and for mediation procedures to be put in place as a means of giving aggrieved players the platform to air their frustrations.

The Ombudsman makes it clear that CSA’s efforts to provide cricketing facilities in remote areas and create opportunities for the disadvantaged to enjoy the game of cricket can only succeed if CSA, the government and other relevant stakeholders “start from scratch” in achieving the goal of making cricket a truly transformed sport in disadvantaged areas.

He also raises concerns over an "exclusionary culture" in certain incidents in the past when it came to selection of Black players.

He has called on CSA to revisit the match fee system, while a lack of sensitivity and understanding of the racist undertones of comments made by former players was also highlighted.

Furthermore, it was found that work has to be done in rolling out recreational projects that educate players on the diverse cultures and languages that exist within the team and that will give the team an opportunity to come up with strategies on how the team is going to socially integrate.

The report found that race played no part in the match fixing investigation and the Ombudsman could not find any evidence supporting the allegation that Black players were targeted during the investigation.

The Ombudsman finds that the appointments of Graeme Smith and Mark Boucher were flawed from a procedural perspective.

CSA’s Board agrees wholeheartedly that the issues facing cricket “are a complex interaction of multiple factors stemming from the history of this country and consequent socio-economic factors that prevail today.”

CSA confirms that although the Report is titled an “interim Report”, the Ombudsman has now discharged his mandate and no further report is expected.

As CSA Chairman, Lawson Naidoo said in is closing remarks to the SJN hearings:

“We look forward to the report and will engage with it and its recommendations in order to assist in ensuring that we do indeed move the game of cricket onto a new and different trajectory. We are thus committed to considering the findings and recommendations with an open mind. We will look at the report objectively, having regard to our social justice obligations, and our duties as guardians of the game in the Republic of South Africa.”

The CSA Board thanks the Ombudsman for his insights and recommendations and will engage with the report further in the new year.

 

[MenInG]

Graeme Smith, South Africa's director of cricket and former Test captain, has hit back through his lawyer at accusations of racial prejudice contained in a report by an ombudsman. David Becker, former International Cricket Council head of legal and Smith's personal lawyer, issued a statement on Friday in which he disputed findings by Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, who headed a Social Justice and Nation Building Commission (SJN) to investigate allegations of racial discrimination in South African cricket.

In a report issued on Wednesday, Ntsebeza found that Smith "failed to rebut the presumption of unfair discrimination" in appointing former Test wicketkeeper and long-time team-mate Boucher as head coach of the national team ahead of Enoch Nkwe, a black coach who served briefly as national team director.

"Some of the findings are entirely questionable and without any basis," said Becker, who claimed that lawyers for "various respondents" had raised "material concerns" about the integrity of the SJN process.

"Important parts of the evidence are simply not dealt with in the report," said Becker.

"For example, the ombudsman states that Smith did not explain why he appointed Boucher in his evidence. However, the reasons are clearly addressed by Smith and (former CSA president) Mr (Chris) Nenzani in their affidavits submitted to the SJN."

Ntsebeza also found that Smith's appointment was irregular and that a refusal to report to then chief executive Thabang Moroe, who was later dismissed for misconduct, was evidence of "racial bias against black leadership".

Becker pointed out that Smith did not appoint himself and that his appointment was approved by the national selectors, the entire board of CSA and senior executives of the organisation.

He had worked happily with Moroe's acting successor, who was black, and three black presidents.

Becker did not directly address an accusation of racial bias in the decision when Smith was captain to use star batsman AB de Villiers as wicketkeeper in a Test series in England in 2012, ahead of black reserve wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile.

But Becker said CSA would have to consider "a number of fundamental flaws" in the process of the hearings.

"For instance, how do you make far-reaching and public findings of racial prejudice against certain people and in the same breath say that they are 'tentative', as the ombudsman has done?

"How is CSA expected to implement those findings when the ombudsman has said, by his own admission, that he 'cannot make definitive findings in an instance where the evidence of both the so-called victims and the alleged perpetrators was not tested'?

"Why wasn't the evidence properly tested? The ombudsman had the opportunity to cross examine the witnesses under the terms of reference and didn't take that opportunity," said Becker.

https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/ex-...raeme-smith-rejects-charges-of-racism-2657435

 

[MenInG]

An independent Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) Panel has imposed a £50,000 fine on Essex CCC after the club pleaded guilty to two charges in relation to a racist comment made in 2017 at an Essex CCC Executive Board meeting.

The club has also been cautioned as to further conduct and issued with a reprimand. £15,000 of the fine is suspended for two years.
Essex had been charged with a breach of ECB Directive 3.3 which reads as follows:

"No Participant may conduct themself in a manner or do any act or omission at any time which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any Cricketer or group of Cricketers into disrepute."

The charge was in two parts - relating to the comment made at the meeting, and the subsequent failure by Essex CCC to conduct an appropriate, or any, subsequent investigation.

The CDC Panel was chaired by Ricky Needham, alongside Amrisha Parathalingam and Mark Milliken-Smith QC.

 

[MenInG]

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is today publishing the third update on the implementation of cricket’s action plan to tackle racism and promote inclusion and diversity at all levels of the game.

Since the previous update on 1 April 2022, the ECB has continued to work with stakeholders across the game to deliver further progress against the measures announced as part of the action plan. In in line with the anticipated timetable for full delivery of the plan, the next update will be provided before the end of September.

Best practice governance

Following publication of the action plan in November 2021, the county cricket network has achieved significant progress to increase Board diversity in line with the targets of 30% female representation and locally representative ethnicity by the end of April 2022.

In the last six months, more than 30 organisations have appointed at least one new Non-Executive Director (NED) to their Board, with many of these involving major recruitment processes appointing multiple NEDs.

At an aggregate level, the county network has now surpassed the Board diversity targets, with an overall figure of 31% female representation on Boards and 16% ethnic diversity, up from 20% and 10% respectively since November 2021. This builds on the action taken across the network since the introduction of mandatory standards via the County Governance Framework (CGF) in early 2020. The proportion of Directors at county organisations who are from a minority-ethnic background has tripled from 5% since 2019, while the proportion of Board roles held by women has also grown significantly from a 2019 baseline of 11%.

Among the examples of counties to have made significant progress in transforming the diversity and skills mix of their Board, Kent Cricket recently appointed six new Directors following an extensive public recruitment process. Today, four of the Board’s 12 members are women and three are from ethnically diverse backgrounds, ensuring that Kent Cricket – a single organisation that is responsible for all cricket in the County from schools and community cricket to the professional game - will benefit from a wide range of skills and perspectives as well as meeting its diversity targets.

In a further demonstration of commitment to strong and diverse governance arrangements, Worcestershire Cricket Foundation (the charitable successor to Worcestershire Cricket Board) has established the most diverse Board of any entity across the game. Following the appointment of seven new Trustees, women represent a majority of the Board (seven of 12 Trustees) and one quarter of Trustees are ethnically diverse, significantly ahead of local demographics.

Progress in Board diversity across cricket has been accelerated by the success of the ECB’s partnership with Sport England and executive search specialists Perrett Laver. Nineteen county organisations have already received (or are currently receiving) advisory and search support from Perrett Laver, resulting to date in the appointment of more than 30 Directors with a broad range of skillsets and backgrounds. It is expected that Perret Laver will provide support to at least 10 further county organisations over the course of 2022.

At an individual level, the ECB understands that 80% of county organisations (40 of 50 entities) have now met their Board diversity targets. This assessment is based on the most recent information received from each organisation and includes some appointments which have not yet been confirmed publicly or require final ratification at upcoming AGMs or similar.

County organisations fully compliant with Board diversity targets

First Class County Clubs (professional cricket)

County Cricket Boards (recreational cricket)

Derbyshire County Cricket Club

Cricket East

Durham County Cricket Club

Berkshire Cricket Foundation

Glamorgan County Cricket Club

Buckinghamshire Cricket Board*

Gloucestershire County Cricket Club

Cambridgeshire Cricket Ltd

Kent Cricket Ltd†

Cheshire Cricket Board

Leicestershire County Cricket Club†*

Cornwall Cricket Board

Northamptonshire County Cricket Club†

Cumbria Cricket Ltd

Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club†

Derbyshire Cricket Foundation

Somerset County Cricket Club*

Devon Cricket Board

Surrey County Cricket Club

Dorset Cricket Board

Worcestershire County Cricket Club

Durham Cricket Board

Yorkshire County Cricket Club

Essex Cricket in the Community

Cricket Wales

Gloucestershire Cricket Foundation

Hampshire Cricket Board

Hertfordshire Cricket Ltd

Isle of Wight Cricket Board

Lancashire Cricket Foundation

Lincolnshire Cricket Ltd

Norfolk Cricket Board

Northumberland Cricket Board

Oxfordshire Cricket Board

Shropshire Cricket Board

Somerset Cricket Foundation

Staffordshire Cricket Ltd

Suffolk Cricket Ltd

Surrey Cricket Foundation*

Worcestershire Cricket Foundation

*A small number of organisations are at final stage of recruitment (final interviews by early June) and have committed to meeting their Board diversity targets as a result of these appointments.

† A number of county organisations are now “single entities” overseeing both recreational and professional cricket in their county.

The ECB has granted extensions to a further nine county organisations in line with the “comply or explain” provision, which allows for additional time to be provided where an organisation has made positive progress in recent years and established clear action plans but has been unable to meet the deadline for genuine practical or constitutional reasons. Each of these organisations is in a slightly different situation but all have committed to carrying out further NED recruitment in the next six to nine months, with several underway already. The ECB will continue to monitor and support each of these counties to ensure appropriate progress is made.

County organisations granted “comply or explain” extensions

Hampshire County Cricket Club

Herefordshire Cricket Ltd

Lancashire County Cricket Club

Warwickshire Cricket Board

Middlesex County Cricket Club†

Wiltshire Cricket Ltd

Sussex Cricket †

Yorkshire Cricket Board

Warwickshire County Cricket Club

† A number of county organisations are now “single entities” overseeing both recreational and professional cricket in their county.

The ECB has placed one organisation, Essex County Cricket Club, in a non-compliance process as they have fallen significantly short of their targets and do not yet have a clear action plan to deliver change within an appropriate timescale. As part of this process, Essex CCC must provide an updated action plan for approval by the ECB and sanctions may be considered if sufficient progress is not made within agreed deadlines.

ECB Anti-Discrimination Unit

As part of the action plan, the ECB committed to establish a new Anti-Discrimination Unit to ensure that it has the right resources and capabilities to tackle discrimination in all its forms and provide guidance to the wider game.

Work to define the resources and capabilities required by the unit has been completed and the proposed approach has been approved by the ECB Board. The delivery plan is in development; however, full implementation will take longer than initially envisaged.

In the first phase, the ECB has established a new role of Head of Discipline with responsibility for managing discrimination allegations from within the recreational game, assisting counties with issues which arise and overseeing the investigations process. This role, which will be supported by two managers, will be in place from June 2022. The addition of these new resources follows on from the creation, as reported in the previous update, of a game-wide system allowing anyone to report an incident of discrimination that they have experienced in recreational cricket. Separate systems are in place for reporting and managing any incidents within the professional game and any related to ECB employees.

Review of crowd management

The ECB has worked with the First Class Counties and the Sports Ground Safety Authority (SGSA) to complete a pre-season review of the effectiveness of our venues at managing crowd behaviour, with the aim of ensuring that robust systems are in place for detection, enforcement, and sanctioning of any discriminatory or abusive behaviour. This process included a detailed review of the first year of The Hundred as well as an end-of-season review of arrangements for other domestic competitions.

The game has identified initiatives to address the challenges highlighted during the review, which will have a tangible impact on crowd behaviour and the experience of fans attending any format of cricket. Measures in place now include: a new system for spectators at major venues to report any crowd behaviour issues via an app or text message; family stands across all venues and more dedicated alcohol-free zones; additional training for matchday stewards; and updated policies on alcohol management and exclusions. The ECB will also make available EDI training for all venues to deliver to stewards and other casual staff.

In addition, a pilot scheme will be introduced this season at The Kia Oval and Edgbaston to trial the use of advanced CCTV to improve incident identification, tracking and reporting. A wider rollout of the technology will be considered based on the success of the pilot. To promote best practice, all crowd management incidents will be subject to formal reporting to the ECB’s Safety & Security team from the 2022 season, with a sanctions policy for poor crowd management to be agreed for the 2023 season. Further evaluation of crowd behaviour will be undertaken during 2022 with the support of external partners, including MOM Consultancy, SGSA and Leeds Beckett University, with the aim of identifying further improvements to our approach in this area.

Creating welcoming environments for all

With the aim of making 2022 the most inclusive season yet, all professional cricket venues have reviewed the inclusivity of their facilities and established plans to improve provision for families and under-served communities in line with another of the 12 pledges made in November.

The ECB is making available £2.5 million of funding to support facilities development, with an initial focus on multi-faith quiet rooms, changing facilities, family toilets, accessible seating, and sensory rooms. Fourteen venues have introduced new facilities before or during the 2022 season, with the remaining four to complete following the end of the season due to construction or planning challenges.

In addition to facilities, fans in cricket grounds will see a noticeable difference in event presentation, with anti-discrimination messaging incorporated into matchday communications and big-screen content. In order to ensure that fans’ views are understood, matchday experience surveys will incorporate a number of EDI elements from the start of the Vitality Blast onwards.

Venues will be subject to monitoring through the season to ensure that they are making progress against their plans and addressing the identified gaps in provision, as well as reaching ECB minimum standards. To support further work in this area, further review will be completed during the season including a Cultural Risk Assessment by Leeds Beckett University, which will look at barriers to attendance by fans from ethnically diverse communities and potential issues within cricket grounds.

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It was disappointing to be singled out in the ECB’s action plan update this week as we are making great strides in creating a Board which represents the diverse communities we serve.<br><br>There’s exceptional work being carried out across the region and I’ve shared my thoughts today. <a href="https://t.co/U3qlN6HTP6">https://t.co/U3qlN6HTP6</a></p>— John Stephenson (@JohnPStephenson) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnPStephenson/status/1532081854186233857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

Premier Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has endorsed the idea of having more conversation on racism whether it’s in the sports field or in the world in general and also feels that better parenting and awareness about the subject can bring the change.

There have been several instances in the past where cricket, which is called a gentleman’s game, has been rocked by racist slurs and comments that have brought the sport to disrepute. Many have been punished for their offences as well but it keeps taking place from time to time.

“I think we should all have the conversation as a world, it’s not just cricket or any other sports. I don’t think it has anything to do with a particular section of people in any particular country. Everywhere people do believe that they belong to a majority sort of a thing and they want to have a go at somebody else. And I think racism is one of the parts of it where they believe that is a way of differentiation with someone," said Ashwin on the sidelines of trailer launch event of ‘Bandon Mein Tha Dum’, a documentary on that Test series that India won 2-1 in dramatic circumstances in Australia in 2020-21.

Ashwin also suggested a few things which can lead to the improvement in the present conditions.

“I think the only solution on this is better parenting and better awareness, just by talking about it at the stage or on an event like this, we wouldn’t necessarily make a difference but with awareness and talking about it on a regular basis and better parenting from the childhood we can make a difference," he said.

Notably, Indian pacers Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah were racially abused by spectators during that famous Sydney Test in their 2021-22 Australia tour. The veteran spinner feels Siraj showed courage in making people aware of what was going on.

“I think it’s not about a certain country or certain ground. Yes, it’s happened at a certain ground (SCG) and that place (Australia) a lot more. But, it was courageous of him (Siraj) to bring it up so at least a wider section of the people know and probably the people sitting next to such people in that ground do a lot better from the next time," he said.

“So it (racism) is something that one must condemn but I want to bring to your notice that everywhere people are differentiating people on different grounds, which is definitely not fair," he added.

https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/...-for-more-conversation-on-racism-5301421.html

 

[MenInG]

London: Former England pacer Chris Jordan has alleged that he was subjected to “relentless” racist abuse after England were knocked out of the T20 World Cup by New Zealand in November. One of the favourites for the title, England crashed out in the semifinal to New Zealand after their bowling came unstuck towards the end of the match with New Zealand needing 57 runs to win off just 24 balls. They reached the target with six deliveries remaining as Daryl Mitchell struck an unbeaten 72 and Jimmy Neesham contributed a stunning cameo.

Chris Jordan was at the receiving end of the brutal assault by Neesham in the 17th over of the match, conceding 23 runs as it changed the complexion of the match.

Jordan has now opened up about the racist attacks he faced after that defeat, mirror.co.uk has reported.

In a video produced by Royal London and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Jordan spoke about how he was painted a villain and subjected to racist abuse in the aftermath of the match.

“Six months ago, in the World Cup semi-final, things didn’t go our way,” he said. “Social media, it was relentless for me, on Twitter and Instagram, there were lots of [racist] comments on my pictures and in my direct messages because we had lost a World Cup game. People felt that I had a big part to do with that,” he added.

“From my point of view, the England team currently is as diverse as it gets. I know that I’ve made some very good, lifelong friends in that changing room.

“That’s a credit to people like Eoin Morgan and Joe Root because our changing room is one of the most diverse [in world cricket]. Real change will come from within, through having real conversations, as some people are just unaware; it’s about continued education,” he was quoted as saying in the report.

Jordan was speaking to David ‘Syd’ Lawrence, the first British-born black cricketer to play for England who is now the president of Gloucestershire.

https://www.cricketcountry.com/news...use-after-englands-t20-world-cup-exit-1032713

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BREAKING: Scottish cricket found to be 'institutionally racist' by independent review due to be published on Monday &#55357;&#57000; <a href="https://t.co/X3mvkL6E5H">pic.twitter.com/X3mvkL6E5H</a></p>— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkySportsNews/status/1550791138520481792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

New Zealand icon Ross Taylor, who retired from international cricket earlier this year, released his autobiography on Thursday. In the book, titled "Black & White", Taylor opened up about instances of racism that he faced through his playing career. He spoke about how it would crop up in dressing room banter and in comments from some staff members and officials. He noted that he knew the comments didn't come from a "racist perspective", but rather due to "insensitivity" and lack of empathy.

Taylor, who is part Samoan, said he had been "an anomaly" for large parts of his career.

"Cricket in New Zealand is a pretty white sport. For much of my career I've been an anomaly, a brown face in a vanilla line-up," Stuff.co.nz quoted him as writing in his book.

"That has its challenges, many of which aren't readily apparent to your teammates or the cricketing public," Taylor wrote.

"In many ways, dressing-room banter is the barometer. A teammate used to tell me, 'You're half a good guy, Ross, but which half is good? You don't know what I'm referring to'. I was pretty sure I did," he continued.

"Other players also had to put up with comments that dwelt on their ethnicity. In all probability, a Pakeha listening to those sorts of comments would think, 'Oh, that's okay, it's just a bit of banter'. But he's hearing it as white person, and it's not directed at people like him. So, there's no pushback; no one corrects them."

He said that the onus, then, fell on the targets of these comments, but said it was always a conundrum for the players.

"Then the onus falls on the targets. You wonder if you should pull them up but worry that you'll create a bigger problem or be accused of playing the race card by inflating harmless banter into racism. It's easier to develop a thick skin and let it slide, but is that the right thing to do?" he wrote.

"Not long after Mike 'Roman' Sandle became Black Caps manager, he said to Victoria (Taylor's wife) that, when he was manager of the Blues rugby team, he'd observed that the Maori and Island boys struggled with managing money, 'so if Ross wants to talk about it ...' Victoria laughed it off, and it probably didn't take Mike long to realise that, however well-meaning, he'd been a bit hasty in his assumptions," Taylor wrote.

He also spoke about an unwitting comment former coach Mike Hesson made.

"When I came back into the team after the captaincy drama, I found myself sitting next to (coach) Mike Hesson in the Koru Lounge at Dunedin Airport. He'd come straight from his house. 'My cleaner's Samoan,' he said. 'She's a lovely lady, hard-working, very trustworthy'. All I could say was, 'Oh, cool'.

"I have no doubt that Roman and Hess and the guys who engaged in the 'banter' would be dismayed to learn that their remarks landed with a thud," Taylor went on to write.

"Let me be clear: I don't think for one minute that they were coming from a racist perspective. I think they were insensitive and lacked the imagination and empathy to put themselves in the other person's shoes," the veteran batter explained.

"What to them is a bit of harmless banter is actually confronting for the targets because it tells them they're seen as being different. Instead of the message being, 'You're one of us, mate,' it is, in effect, 'You're one of them'."

https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/bro...ross-taylor-opens-up-on-facing-racism-3245219

 

[Titan24]

I always though NZ setup was better in this regard in comparison to some other countries however, with Ross bringing up this topic shows that we are completely unaware of what goes in the background and what a person feels.

 

[MenInG]

England cricketer subject to ECB probe after racism allegations - called a team-mate a P***

A high-profile England cricketer is being investigated by the ECB over historic racism allegations in the latest bombshell to hit the sport.

Sportsmail can reveal that the individual is alleged to have used the racial slur 'P***' on multiple occasions towards an ex-county team-mate — who has reported his allegations to the ECB — in training and in changing rooms.

In one example, the accused player is said to have been reprimanded by a well-known senior player who overheard him using the slur in a football training game. The incidents are alleged to have happened from 2014-2016.

The ECB investigation started in the last three weeks and they are contacting witnesses, while the player's county would not confirm if they are taking any action.

These include a 12-point plan to tackle discrimination in light of the Azeem Rafiq scandal, and a whistleblowing hotline.

The ECB hearing into Rafiq's allegations of racism at Yorkshire may not take place until next year, while a probe into Essex - in which three former players made claims of being racially abused and bullied during their time at the county - is also ongoing.

An ECB spokesman said: 'We do not comment on who is or isn't the subject of ECB investigations in situations such as this.'

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/s...r-subject-ECB-probe-P-racism-allegations.html

 

[cerebralrattlesnake]

not surprised this is happening on TERF island

 

[MenInG]

Azeem Akhtar has stepped down as Essex chairman just three days after being appointed to the role, while an independent review is conducted into his historical activity on social media following accusations of antisemitism.

The launch of the "immediate" investigation was announced just hours after an article published on Thursday in The Jewish Chronicle accused Akhtar of endorsing antisemitism.

Akhtar was appointed as the club's chairman on Monday, with Essex saying his tenure would "signal the beginning of a new era for the club" after previous chairman John Faragher had resigned in November 2021 following allegations he had used racist language in a 2017 board meeting.

Akhtar released his own statement on Thursday evening saying he would voluntarily step aside while the investigation was carried out, before the club added a statement of its own.

"I have taken the decision today to voluntarily step aside as Chair of Essex County Cricket Club while an independent review takes place into recent matters that have been raised," Akhtar said.

"I have made the decision to initiate this review because it is important that I as Chair and Essex County Cricket Club more widely hold ourselves to the highest standards of governance and accountability. By stepping aside, I want to show leadership and ensure the club can focus on the ongoing challenges it is tackling.

"I am resolutely committed to ensuring that Essex County Cricket Club is an inclusive and welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds."

The club added: "Essex County Cricket Club supports Azeem Akhtar's personal decision to voluntarily step aside as chair of the club while an immediate independent review is conducted into the circumstances around some historic content on social media.

"Essex and Azeem Akhtar are determined to uphold the values of strong leadership, governance and accountability. By initiating this review, Azeem has demonstrated his commitment to those core values.

"We remain committed to tackling discrimination and racism and have a zero-tolerance approach in this area. All of those connected with Essex want to ensure the club is a safe and welcoming place where everyone, no matter of background, can play a major part in the future of Essex Cricket."

Akhtar's appointment came after the club had been warned by the England and Wales Cricket Board in May for failing to meet board diversity targets, and also fined £50,000 over the alleged racist remark made by Faragher in 2017.

Akhtar, who was already a board member at Essex before his appointment, has been replaced on an interim basis by Essex deputy chairman Sir Stephen O'Brien.

SKY

 

[adzzy786]

Azeem Akhtar has stepped down as Essex chairman just three days after being appointed to the role, while an independent review is conducted into his historical activity on social media following accusations of antisemitism.

The launch of the "immediate" investigation was announced just hours after an article published on Thursday in The Jewish Chronicle accused Akhtar of endorsing antisemitism.

Akhtar was appointed as the club's chairman on Monday, with Essex saying his tenure would "signal the beginning of a new era for the club" after previous chairman John Faragher had resigned in November 2021 following allegations he had used racist language in a 2017 board meeting.

Akhtar released his own statement on Thursday evening saying he would voluntarily step aside while the investigation was carried out, before the club added a statement of its own.

"I have taken the decision today to voluntarily step aside as Chair of Essex County Cricket Club while an independent review takes place into recent matters that have been raised," Akhtar said.

"I have made the decision to initiate this review because it is important that I as Chair and Essex County Cricket Club more widely hold ourselves to the highest standards of governance and accountability. By stepping aside, I want to show leadership and ensure the club can focus on the ongoing challenges it is tackling.

"I am resolutely committed to ensuring that Essex County Cricket Club is an inclusive and welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds."

The club added: "Essex County Cricket Club supports Azeem Akhtar's personal decision to voluntarily step aside as chair of the club while an immediate independent review is conducted into the circumstances around some historic content on social media.

"Essex and Azeem Akhtar are determined to uphold the values of strong leadership, governance and accountability. By initiating this review, Azeem has demonstrated his commitment to those core values.

"We remain committed to tackling discrimination and racism and have a zero-tolerance approach in this area. All of those connected with Essex want to ensure the club is a safe and welcoming place where everyone, no matter of background, can play a major part in the future of Essex Cricket."

Akhtar's appointment came after the club had been warned by the England and Wales Cricket Board in May for failing to meet board diversity targets, and also fined £50,000 over the alleged racist remark made by Faragher in 2017.

Akhtar, who was already a board member at Essex before his appointment, has been replaced on an interim basis by Essex deputy chairman Sir Stephen O'Brien.

SKY

Say what you want about Muslims it’s ok. Anything against the chosen people and your out

 

[HitWicket]

Say what you want about Muslims it’s ok. Anything against the chosen people and your out

Which county chairmen have a history of comments against muslims and are still active in their positions?

 

[SpiritOf1903]

Pakistanis are naive bordering stupid. Don't be antisemitic though if it's criticism of Israel then...that's just the absurdity of it all

 

[James]

Which county chairmen have a history of comments against muslims and are still active in their positions?

[MENTION=23648]adzzy786[/MENTION] please can you answer this question.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Which county chairmen have a history of comments against muslims and are still active in their positions?

Great question.

 

[MenInG]

Essex chairman Azeem Akhtar has stood down from the role following an independent review of his historical social media activity.

Former Sport England member Akhtar was named chairman on 28 November but "voluntarily stepped aside" four days later while the review was carried out.

A club statement said no evidence of racism or anti-Semitism had been found.

"These last few weeks have been very difficult for my family and me," lifelong Essex supporter Akhtar said.

"This has taken a toll on us and I am determined to do justice to my other professional and personal commitments.

"I am passionately committed to fighting all kinds of discrimination whether that be anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, or any other kind of prejudice.

"As concluded, my social media activity is reflective of my religious and political affiliations and the strong humanitarian stance I take on conflicts around the world."

The club said in their statement that Akhtar has been the "standout candidate" for the role at the time he was chosen as chairman.

"Prior to his appointment, as with the other appointments to the board, the selection process included a thorough and independent review of Azeem's social media activity by specialist consultants," the statement continued.

"After his appointment to the role of chair, and following reports in the media about Azeem's [historical] social media activity, further due diligence was conducted.

"The due diligence conducted by the specialist consultants concluded Azeem's social media activity to be 'supportive of the Islamic faith and beliefs as opposed to being anti-Semitic or indicating any other forms of racism'."

The club said they respected the "integrity" shown by Akhtar during the review but would make no further comment on the matter.

Sir Stephen O'Brien was appointed interim chairman when Akhtar stepped aside in December.

Essex were placed under a "non-compliance process" by the England and Wales Cricket Board in May last year, having "fallen significantly short" on board diversity targets, and set up a new governance plan in June.

BBC

 

[MenInG]

Imran Khan in an interview:

“Look, I haven’t had much time to watch cricket as my life hasn’t given me spare time in the last four years but I read about the Yorkshire racism scandal"

“From the time I started, which was 1971 as a teenager, to the point I was finishing cricket in the mid-80s, I saw a change take place in England. There was a lot of open racism in English cricket and county cricket when I started but by the end of my career somehow if there was racism it went undercover.

“You did not have the word racism by the time I finished in the sort of mid to late 80s but when I started off there was all the time racist remarks on the field. Even the Pakistanis, especially in the north of England, would suffer racism. There were these skinheads who would you know call you a P*** and abuse you on the streets.

“It gradually began to change and by the time I finished there was much less racism"

 

[Saj]

Former Scotland international cricketer Qasim Sheikh says anyone facing discrimination in sport should "think twice" before speaking out.

Sheikh previously claimed he was told he should "count yourself lucky to be here" when he tried to raises concerns.

He told the BBC he had since experienced daily abuse and alerted police after his family were targeted.

Sheikh said not enough had been done since a report found Cricket Scotland to be institutionally racist.

A total of 448 examples of racism and discrimination were identified within the Scottish game by the Changing the Boundaries report, which was published last July.

After the report was released, Cricket Scotland announced the creation of a special advisory board and said progress was being made.

But these claims were rejected by anti-racism organisation, Running Out Racism

New interim Cricket Scotland chief executive Pete Fitzboydon admitted last week that there remained "a great deal of work to be done".

Sheikh, who previously said he was humiliated and told he was a troublemaker when he tried to raise concerns, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme there had been a "lack of action" since a new leadership team was appointed.

He said: "Actions speak louder than words. I've seen a lot of statements over the last six months or so but very little in relation to action.

"It was a damning report so of course that was going to have to take some time to process but [there has been] lack of meaningful engagement from the governing body Cricket Scotland.

"There needs to be a lot more dialogue. The advisory board met once in seven months - to say that was a lot of progress felt disrespectful."

Sheikh, who is speaking at a Race and Racism in Sport conference in Glasgow, said that following publication of the report he felt vindicated but added that he had since personally been on a "bumpy, bumpy road".

He said: "It was a chance to draw a line under it and start to move forward.

"Unfortunately I've taken daily abuse, especially on social media, and I've had my family members targeted - there's been police involvement. It's affected me personally, it's affected my family."

He added: "We talk about creating safe spaces for people to speak out - if somebody asked me should I speak out and challenge discrimination I'd probably ask them to think twice about it at the moment because of my own experience of it.

"It's all well and good asking people to speak out if they feel comfortable to do so but we need to protect those victims as well."

When asked what he would say to young people from ethnic minority backgrounds who wanted to be involved in sport in Scotland he said: "It's hard to really say with complete confidence you should go for it and you will thrive equally.

"From my experience that certainly didn't happen and I know a number of other ethnic minority cricketers and obviously a lot of other victims spoke out privately as well so there's a clear issue there."

Sheikh, who played cricket for Scotland between 2005 and 2010, said he had also played boys football up until the age of about 16 and "that wasn't the most inclusive environment either".

"My message to the conference will be this is not just a moment in Scottish cricket, this is a moment for all Scottish sport to reflect," he said.

"They have the report to look at and be honest with themselves and ask 'if we were to get a review on us would we be ticking all the boxes?'

"It's also an opportunity for all the Scottish sports to be communicating with each other, learning from each other and really start to drive change."

He said that although it was slow progress it was "very positive" to see Humza Yousaf appointed as first minister.

"It's one step in the right direction but there's a lot more work to be done until we get to the point that everybody - not just people of colour but people from all different backgrounds - are able to thrive equally in Scottish sport," he added.

"I think if we all come together and all push that change, the outcome could be a really positive one."

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Sikandar Raza has filed a complaint with the Harare Metropolitan Cricket Association (HMCA), accusing local coach Blessing Mafuwa of racial abuse during a Vigne Cup match on June 1

The incident happened while Raza was playing for Old Hararians against Rainbow Cricket Club at the Old Hararians Sports Club, where Mafuwa allegedly made derogatory remarks as Raza was leaving the field.

Although Raza did not name Mafuwa in his complaint, HMCA chairperson Tafadzwa Madoro confirmed that Mafuwa is under investigation. Mafuwa is scheduled to attend a hearing and has been suspended from all HMCA activities pending the outcome.

Madoro stated that the HMCA takes racism allegations seriously and aims to complete the investigation promptly. Raza has called for a thorough inquiry and said that if Mafuwa is found guilty, a strong example should be set to prevent such incidents in the future.

In the match, Raza scored 78 runs off 56 balls, helping Old Hararians post 402 for 9. Rainbow Cricket Club replied with 225 for 8 in 39 overs, losing by 142 runs under the DLS method.