The report, which discovered 448 examples of institutional racism, was commissioned by sportscotland, the nationwide funding physique, final yr after Scotland’s all-time main wicket-taker Majid Haq and former teammate Qasim Sheikh mentioned that they had suffered racist abuse.
Cricketer Majid Haq speaks at a press convention at Stirling Court Hotel in Stirling on 25 July 2022. An impartial evaluate into allegations of racism at Cricket Scotland has discovered the governance and management practices of the organisation to be “institutionally racist”. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP
LONDON – An impartial evaluate into allegations of racism at Cricket Scotland has discovered the governance and management practices of the organisation to be “institutionally racist”.
The report, which discovered 448 examples of institutional racism, was commissioned by sportscotland, the nationwide funding physique, final yr after Scotland’s all-time main wicket-taker Majid Haq and former teammate Qasim Sheikh mentioned that they had suffered racist abuse.
Haq and Sheikh’s solicitor Aamer Anwar described the findings as “the most devastating verdict to be delivered on any sporting institution in the United Kingdom”.
As a part of the evaluate an nameless survey was carried out, with 62 p.c of those that responded saying that they had skilled, witnessed or had acquired experiences of incidents of racism, inequalities or discrimination.
Allegations embody racial abuse, use of inappropriate language, favouritism in direction of white kids from public colleges and a scarcity of a clear choice course of.
Huq and Sheikh by no means performed for Scotland once more after publicly expressing their opinion that race was a think about choice.
“We were branded liars – Qasim for over a decade, me for seven-and-a half years,” mentioned Huq.
“It’s been a relief for me and I really hope the future and current generation get the equal opportunities and support and backing.
“Any time you challenged something you have been branded a troublemaker.”
The investigation, carried out by consultancy firm Plan4Sport, found Cricket Scotland failed in 29 out of 31 indicators of institutional racism.
As a result of the findings, the governing body has been placed into special measures until at least October 2023, with sportscotland effectively taking control of the organisation.
“Governance and management practices of Cricket Scotland have been institutionally racist,” said Louise Tideswell, managing director of Plan4Sport.
“The actuality is that the management of the organisation did not see the issues and, in failing to take action, enabled a tradition of racially aggravated micro-aggressions to develop.”
On Sunday, the board of Cricket Scotland resigned en masse.
Interim chief executive Gordon Arthur said: “The racism and discrimination that has taken place within the sport that all of us love ought to by no means have been allowed to occur, or to go unchallenged for therefore lengthy.
“I would like to again issue a heartfelt apology to all those who have been the victims of racism and discrimination in Scottish cricket.”
Among the suggestions of the evaluate are for the brand new board to be comprised of not more than a 60-40 gender ratio both approach and a minimal of 25 p.c of members ought to come from black, south-east Asian, or different blended or a number of ethnic teams.
The chief government of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, described the findings as “deeply concerning and in some cases shocking”.
“Today should also act as a wake-up call for all of Scottish sport,” he added.
“Racism is a societal problem and it is no longer good enough to simply be non-racist, Scottish sport must now be actively anti-racist.”