London: English cricket’s top administrator on Friday announced an anti-racism action plan azeem rafiq Admitting the scandal, an “earthquake”, had affected the sport in recent weeks.
12 measures unveiled by England and Wales Cricket Board Includes a review of dressing-room culture, action to help non-white and less privileged players pursue careers in the game, and a commitment to increasing diversity on county boards.
Rafiq, a former Pakistan-born cricketer, gave a scathing testimony to lawmakers last week, saying his career was ended by the racial abuse he received in the lead in the English county of Yorkshire.
“The last few weeks have been very tough for cricket.” ECB chief executive Tom Harrison told reporters. “It’s as if an earthquake has hit us.
“The most damaging part of Azeem’s testimony is that he didn’t want his son to be a part of the game. That is, for someone in my job, the hardest thing you can hear.”
Another point in the action plan is the governance review of the ECB, which will consider whether the organization can be both a promoter and a regulator of the game.
In a week when a fan-led review recommended an independent regulator for English football, Harrison said cricket should at least be open to the possibility of a similar set-up.
“We had a meeting yesterday (Thursday) with county presidents … should we be the regulator and the national governing body,” he said.
“That conversation is what we’re going to have with the game as well.”
Harrison asked why anyone should believe the ECB is now going to take concrete action, given previous allegations of inaction, that change will happen.
“I know we’re in the courtroom for words, words, words, blah, blah, blah, no action, that sort of thing,” he said.
“What we’re trying to say here is that it’s action-oriented. But it’s not everything… I don’t think it’s something that cricket has ever done right.”
Harrison, who has personally criticized the ECB’s response to Rafiq’s revelations, said he had no intention of resigning.
“I am very motivated to make sure we provide this welcoming environment for everyone in our sport,” he said.
“I’ve felt passionately since I stepped into this job, and I’m not going to shy away from it anymore.”
The fallout for Yorkshire has been catastrophic, with sponsorships mass exodus, senior figures leaving and the Headingley-based club suspended from hosting lucrative international matches.
But the crisis has spread far beyond the club, with other county and former players also making headlines.
Zahid Ahmed has this week become the third former Essex player to be accused of racial abuse while playing for the club.
More than 2,000 people have contacted an independent commission that is looking into Casteism and other forms of discrimination in cricket since it opened a call for evidence earlier this month.
The BBC this week said former England captain Michael Vaughan had been left out of his commentary team for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia to avoid a “conflict of interest”.
Vaughan is alleged to have told the now 30-year-old Rafiq and other Yorkshire players of Asian descent that “there were too many of you guys, we need to do something about it” during a county match in 2009.
The former batsman, who was the Ashes winning captain in 2005, has “categorically denied” the allegation.
12 measures unveiled by England and Wales Cricket Board Includes a review of dressing-room culture, action to help non-white and less privileged players pursue careers in the game, and a commitment to increasing diversity on county boards.
Rafiq, a former Pakistan-born cricketer, gave a scathing testimony to lawmakers last week, saying his career was ended by the racial abuse he received in the lead in the English county of Yorkshire.
“The last few weeks have been very tough for cricket.” ECB chief executive Tom Harrison told reporters. “It’s as if an earthquake has hit us.
“The most damaging part of Azeem’s testimony is that he didn’t want his son to be a part of the game. That is, for someone in my job, the hardest thing you can hear.”
Another point in the action plan is the governance review of the ECB, which will consider whether the organization can be both a promoter and a regulator of the game.
In a week when a fan-led review recommended an independent regulator for English football, Harrison said cricket should at least be open to the possibility of a similar set-up.
“We had a meeting yesterday (Thursday) with county presidents … should we be the regulator and the national governing body,” he said.
“That conversation is what we’re going to have with the game as well.”
Harrison asked why anyone should believe the ECB is now going to take concrete action, given previous allegations of inaction, that change will happen.
“I know we’re in the courtroom for words, words, words, blah, blah, blah, no action, that sort of thing,” he said.
“What we’re trying to say here is that it’s action-oriented. But it’s not everything… I don’t think it’s something that cricket has ever done right.”
Harrison, who has personally criticized the ECB’s response to Rafiq’s revelations, said he had no intention of resigning.
“I am very motivated to make sure we provide this welcoming environment for everyone in our sport,” he said.
“I’ve felt passionately since I stepped into this job, and I’m not going to shy away from it anymore.”
The fallout for Yorkshire has been catastrophic, with sponsorships mass exodus, senior figures leaving and the Headingley-based club suspended from hosting lucrative international matches.
But the crisis has spread far beyond the club, with other county and former players also making headlines.
Zahid Ahmed has this week become the third former Essex player to be accused of racial abuse while playing for the club.
More than 2,000 people have contacted an independent commission that is looking into Casteism and other forms of discrimination in cricket since it opened a call for evidence earlier this month.
The BBC this week said former England captain Michael Vaughan had been left out of his commentary team for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia to avoid a “conflict of interest”.
Vaughan is alleged to have told the now 30-year-old Rafiq and other Yorkshire players of Asian descent that “there were too many of you guys, we need to do something about it” during a county match in 2009.
The former batsman, who was the Ashes winning captain in 2005, has “categorically denied” the allegation.
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