England's apex cricket body vows to "reset" the game in the country after a damning report on racism and sexism. Following the release of an independent report on Tuesday, which highlighted the insufficient efforts made to address institutional racism and sexism in cricket, England cricket chiefs have pledged to take action and initiate a comprehensive reset of the game.
The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) was established by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2021 to investigate issues of diversity, inclusion and equity within the sport, prompted by a racism scandal. Azeem Rafiq, a bowler of Pakistani origin, publicly shared allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020, specifically relating to his time at Yorkshire, an English county team.
The ICEC report revealed that over 4,000 individuals were interviewed, with 50 percent reporting instances of discrimination within the past five years. The figures were notably higher for individuals from ethnically diverse communities, indicating the existence of systemic biases.
Furthermore, the report found that women often faced discriminatory treatment, being regarded as "second-class citizens" within cricket. It also emphasized that insufficient action had been taken to address socioeconomic barriers, as private schools dominated the pathway into the sport.
In response to the report's findings, England cricket authorities have committed to a comprehensive reset of the game, acknowledging the need for immediate and substantial changes to address these long-standing issues.
"Our findings are unequivocal," said ICEC chair Cindy Butts. "Racism, class-based discrimination, elitism and sexism are widespread and deep-rooted.
"The game must face up to the fact that it's not banter or just a few bad apples. Discrimination is both overt and baked into the structures and processes within cricket."
(AI image)The comprehensive report includes a total of 44 recommendations, urging for equal pay between male and female international players to be achieved by 2030.
The report highlights the significant disparity in salaries, revealing that the average pay for England women players is slightly over one-fifth of that received by their male counterparts for participating in white-ball cricket.
Reacting to these findings, Richard Thompson, chairman of the ECB, expressed the organization's commitment to utilize this pivotal moment as an opportunity to reset the sport of cricket. The ECB aims to address the issues raised in the report and implement necessary measures for meaningful change.
"On behalf of the ECB and wider leadership of the game, I apologise unreservedly to anyone who has ever been excluded from cricket or made to feel like they don't belong," he said.
"Cricket should be a game for everyone, and we know that this has not always been the case.
"Powerful conclusions within the report also highlight that for too long women and black people were neglected. We are truly sorry for this."
The Cricket Discipline Commission recently imposed fines on six former Yorkshire players who were found guilty of using racist language in the Azeem Rafiq case. The players faced consequences for their actions related to this deeply concerning issue.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was cleared of using racist language based on the balance of probabilities. Vaughan chose to defend himself during a hearing held in March, and the investigation concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations of racist language against him.
(With agency inputs)
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