English cricket launches plan to combat racism after companion “earthquake” – cricket

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Posted on November 27, 2021 8:40 AM

English cricket launches anti-racism plan after companion earthquake

London (AFP) – England’s director of cricket announced an anti-racism action plan on Friday in response to the Azim Rafeeq scandal, acknowledging an “earthquake” that has hit the sport in recent weeks.

The 12 measures unveiled by England and Wales Cricket Board include a review of locker room culture, work to help non-white and underprivileged players pursue their careers in the game and a commitment to increasing diversity in the county councils.

The Pakistan-born former cricketer Rafiq gave a harrowing testimony before lawmakers last week in which he said his career was ended due to the racial abuse he received while in the English county of Yorkshire.

“The past few weeks have been very difficult for cricket,” European Central Bank CEO Tom Harrison told reporters. “It feels like an earthquake hit us.

“The most damning part about Azeem’s testimony is that he doesn’t want his son to be a part of the game. That is, for someone at my job, the hardest thing you can hear.”

Another point in the action plan is the review of the European Central Bank’s governance, which will take into account whether the organization can be a promoter and regulator of sports.

In the week that a fan-led review recommended an independent English football regulator, Harrison said cricket should at least be open to the possibility of similar creation.

“We had a meeting yesterday (Thursday) with the provincial heads…whether we should be the national regulator and board of directors going forward,” he said.

“This conversation is a conversation we’ll have with the game as well.”

“I’m not going away”

Asked why anyone would think the ECB would take concrete action now, given previous accusations of inaction, Harrison said change would happen.

“I know we’re in the dock for words, words, words, so-and-so, no action, that kind of thing,” he said.

“What we’re trying to say here is that this is action oriented. But it’s not all… I don’t think that’s something cricket has ever achieved.”

Harrison, who was personally criticized over the ECB’s response to Rafiq’s revelations, added that he had no intention of resigning.

“I am very motivated to make sure we offer this welcoming environment across our sport to everyone,” he said.

“This is something I’ve been passionate about since the moment I got into this job, and I’m not going to let that go now.”

The fallout for Yorkshire was devastating, with sponsors a mass exodus, the resignation of prominent figures and the suspension of the Headingley-based club from hosting lucrative international matches.

But the crisis has extended far beyond the club, with other countries and former players in the spotlight as well.

Jahid Ahmed this week became the third former Essex player to allege racist abuse while playing for the club.

More than 2,000 people have contacted an independent commission looking into racism and other forms of discrimination in cricket since it opened a call for evidence earlier this month.

The BBC said this week that former England captain Michael Vaughan had been removed from the commentary team on the upcoming Ashes series in Australia to avoid a “conflict of interest”.

Vaughan allegedly told the 30-year-old Rafeeq and other Yorkshire players of Asian descent that “there are so many of you, we need to do something about it” during a boycott match in 2009.

The former hitter, the Ashes winning skipper in 2005, “categorically denied” the claim.

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