Discrimination ‘widespread’ in English and Welsh cricket – report
A long-awaited independent report into English and Welsh cricket has found racism, sexism, classism and elitism are “widespread.”
The report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) concludes a two-year investigation.
The ICEC has made 44 recommendations, including that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) make an unreserved public apology for its failings.
ECB chair Richard Thompson said: “We will use this moment to reset cricket.”
The investigation was announced by the ECB in March 2021 following major global movements such as Me Too and BLM.
The ICEC opened an online call for evidence in November 2021 and received 4,156 responses. In March 2022, a call for written evidence resulted in more than 150 responses.
Among those to give evidence include Ben Stokes, Heather Knight, former men’s captain Joe Root, Eoin Morgan and Azeem Rafiq.
The 317-page report called Holding Up A Mirror To Cricket, the ICEC concluded that:
- “Structural and institutional racism” continues to exist within the game.
- Women are treated as “subordinate” to men at all levels of the sport.
- There is a prevalence of “elitism and class-based discrimination” in cricket.
- Black cricket has been failed and the ECB must develop a plan to revive it.
- Many who experience discrimination do not report it because of a distrust in the authorities.
- Umpires regularly ignore abuse and dismiss complaints in both the professional and recreational games.
“There remains a stark reality that cricket is not a ‘game for everyone’ and it is absolutely essential that the work required to achieve that ambition must begin immediately,” wrote ICEC chair Cindy Butts.
“Be in no doubt, what is needed now is leadership. I very much hope that the recommendations we make in this report will be adopted and driven forward by the ECB and all others in leadership positions.”