ECB Cricket: racism, sexism and elitism “widespread” in England and Welsh Cricket says independent report

Following a two-year independent investigation the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) has concluded that racism, sexism, classism and elitism are “widespread” in English and Welsh cricket.

The ICEC made 44 recommendations to the England and Wales Cricket Board, of which one was that the ECB makes an unreserved public apology for its failings.

The independent commission was announced in March 2021 by the ECB following global movements such as Black Lives Matter and Me Too and the situation was further escalated when Azeem Rafiq, the former Yorkshire spinner, detailed his own experiences of racism within the sport.

The ICEC opened an online call for evidence in November 2021 and received 4,156 responses. In March 2022, there was subsequently a call for written evidence which resulted in over 150 responses. Among those who gave evidence was the England Test captains Ben Stokes and Heather Knight as well as the former men’s captain Joe Root, World Cup winning former white-ball captain Eoin Morgan and Rafiq.

The published report is 317 pages and details the “structural and institutional racism”; how women have been treated as “subordinates” as well as the fact that many have not reported their experiences of discrimination because of a lack of distrust.

What does the report say?

The report, named Holding Up a Mirror To Cricket conducted by 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.

The report also claimed that “the persistence of interpersonal and structural racism in cricket is due, we believe, in part to a failure by the ECB to specifically and unambiguously name racism as a concern, at least until the recent crisis (and only then generally in reference to interpersonal and overt forms of racism.)”

The ICEC heard “evidence of widespread culture of sexism and misogyny” and examples of men making unwanted advances towards women. In terms of pay and investment, the women’s game also receives an “embarrassingly small amount” when compared to the men’s game and, according to the report, an England women’s white-ball player receives a salary that is 20.6% that of her male counterparts. The allowance given to the women’s captain is 31% that of the men’s.

The ICEC has recommended a “fundamental overhaul of the professional women players’ pay structure.”

In reference to the elitism and classism, the report said that a lack of cricket in state schools and a talent pathway structurally aligned to private schools is partly to blame for “elitism and class-based discrimination”. The report added “The structure and operation of the talent pathway remains a barrier to equity and inclusion across gender, class and race.”

The ICEC recommended that inter-county cricket should not begin before the age of 14 and all access to a county talent pathway programme should be free of charge by 2025: “We recommend that the entire talent pathway structure should be overhauled to make it more meritocratic, inclusive, accountable, transparent and consistent.”

What has been said?

The ECB chair Richard Thompson said: “We will use the moment to reset cricket. 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.

“This report makes clear that historic structures and systems have failed to prevent discrimination, and highlights the pain and exclusion this has caused. I am determined that this wake-up call for cricket in England and Wales should not be wasted. We will use this moment to demonstrate that it is a game for all and we have a duty to put this right for current and future generations.”

Azeem Rafiq, the racism whistleblower, said: “I welcome the report’s findings and acknowledge the extraordinary work that has been put into this inquiry. There is no doubt now that the game we all love has suffered from institutionalised discrimination, including racism.

“This report is an opportunity to fully reflect on what has happened and for the sport’s governing structures to work out a way forward to ensure that cricket is a game for everyone and that they feel supported, no matter their background.”