- Widespread Racism, Misogyny, Classism, and Elitism in English and Welsh Cricket
- Recommendations and Apologies from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
- Sexism, Misogyny, and Class-Based Discrimination in Cricket
According to a much-anticipated independent report, racism, misogyny, classism, and elitism are “widespread” in English and Welsh cricket.
A two-year investigation by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) has yielded its findings.
The ICEC has 44 recommendations, including that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) apologise for its mistakes.
Richard Thompson, chairman of the ECB, stated, “We will use this moment to reset cricket.”
Black Lives Matter and Me Too inspired the ECB to launch the ICEC in March 2021.
In November of that year, it issued an online request for evidence and received 4,156 responses. In March 2022, over 150 responses were received in response to a request for written evidence.
England men’s Test captain Ben Stokes, women’s captain Heather Knight, former men’s captain Joe Root, World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan, and former Yorkshire player and bigotry whistleblower Azeem Rafiq will testify.
“It remains a stark reality that cricket is not a ‘game for everyone,'” wrote Cindy Butts, chair of the International Cricket Executive Council (ICEC). “It is imperative that the work required to achieve this goal begin immediately.”
“There is no doubt that leadership is required at this time. I hope the ECB and other authorities implement this report’s suggestions.”
The report commended the ECB for having the “courage” to submit to independent scrutiny.
Thompson, who became chief of the ECB in September of last year, issued an “unreserved” apology.
“Cricket should be a game for everyone, and we know that this has not always been the case,” he stated. “Powerful implications in the report indicate that women and black people were neglected for too long. We sincerely apologize for this.
This research illustrates that prior institutions and procedures failed to avoid discrimination, pain, and exclusion.
“I am determined that cricket in England and Wales will not ignore this wake-up call. We will show that sports are for everyone and that we must make amends for future generations.
The recommendations also include an immediate equalization of match fees between the England women’s and men’s teams, a requirement that the ECB report every three years on the state of equity in cricket, and the removal of annual fixtures between Eton and Harrow schools and Oxford and Cambridge universities from Lord’s.
“Cricket’s culture is rotten.”
In response to allegations made by former Yorkshire spin bowler Rafiq. The ECB published a plan in November 2021 to combat racism and all forms of discrimination.
Rafiq’s statement that English cricket is “institutionally racist” at a Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport select committee hearing in the same month, according to the ICEC, drove a large response to its appeal for evidence.
Fifty percent of respondents said they had experienced discrimination in the preceding five years. Pakistani and Bangladeshi respondents were 87%, Indian respondents 82%, and black respondents 75%.
The report stated, “The persistence of interpersonal and structural racism in cricket is partially attributable to the ECB’s failure to explicitly and unambiguously name racism as a concern, at least until the recent crisis (and then only about interpersonal and overt forms of racism).”
“Racism continues to be a pervasive and serious problem in cricket across England and Wales. And the ECB and the broader game must address it immediately.”
In its submission to the report, the ECB acknowledged the existence of a “lost generation” of black cricketers.
“Black adults do not play cricket in sufficient numbers for surveys to detect their participation in the sport,” stated the ICEC report.
“According to a report published by Sport England in 2020, black participation was so low as to be statistically insignificant, even lower than golf and tennis.”
Within the next year, the ICEC has recommended that the ECB conduct an “in-depth examination” of the decline in cricket participation among minority communities.
In a statement, Rafiq said, “I applaud the findings of the report and recognize the extraordinary effort that has gone into this investigation”.
There is no longer any doubt that institutionalized discrimination, including racism, has negatively affected the game we all adore.
“This report is an opportunity to fully reflect on what has transpired and for the sport’s governing bodies to devise a strategy to ensure that cricket is a game for all and that all players feel supported, regardless of their background.”
“Sexist and antifeminist culture”
Though the report acknowledged “positive strides” made in the women’s game, it also highlighted a lack of female representation among decision-makers, fewer media exposure and fewer opportunities for elite women to play at premier grounds, and inequity in terms of kit and equipment for women and girls.
The ICEC saw “evidence of a widespread culture of sexism and misogyny” with men making unwelcome attempts on women.
The report was concerned that England’s women have never played a Test match at Lord’s. Even though the “home of cricket” continues to host an annual school match between Eton and Harrow.
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), which owns Lord’s, stated that it was “committed to playing its part” in enhancing cricket’s inclusiveness and ensuring that Lord’s is “a place where everyone feels welcome.”
Compared to the men’s game, the women’s game receives an “embarrassingly small amount” of investment and compensation.
According to the report, the salary of an England women’s white-ball player is 20.6% that of her male counterpart. And the allowance given to the women’s captain is 31% that of her male counterpart.
Domestically, the average salary of a woman in the regional structure is 45 percent of that of a male in a first-class county, while the highest salary tier for women in The Hundred is £1,250 higher than the lowest tier for men.
Even when players are excluded, the average salary discrepancy between female and male employees at the ECB is 18.8%.
The ICEC has recommended a “fundamental overhaul of the pay structure for professional women players.”
This involves immediate gender equity in international match payments, global parity by 2030, and parity in The Hundred by 2025.
“Elitist and excludable”
According to the report, “elitism and class-based discrimination” are partially the result of a lack of cricket in public schools and a talent pathway aligned with private institutions.
58% of 2021 England men were privately educated, compared to 7% of the total population.
42% of ICEC poll respondents attended private schools, highlighting the game’s overrepresentation of privately educated people.
The research also mentioned talent route costs and instructor “conflicts of interests and biases” as player growth barriers.
Also the paper states that the talent pathway structure and operation hinder gender, class, and ethnicity equity. It reproduces and reinforces structural inequalities that exist throughout cricket in England and Wales.
The ICEC suggests starting inter-county cricket at 14 and making county talent pathway programmes free by 2025.
The report recommended revamping the entire talent pathway structure to make it more meritocratic, inclusive, accountable, transparent, and consistent.
The anti-racism organization Kick It Out “commended the victims” and stated that “cricket has a mountain to climb” to “address the numerous issues currently plaguing the sport.”
“We look forward to seeing how many resources the ECB dedicates to driving systemic change at the international, national, and local levels,” the statement continued. It will require effort, creativity, and fortitude.”
Yorkshire, which admitted four amended charges arising from Rafiq’s claims of racism at the club, said in a statement, “Yorkshire County Cricket Club has seen firsthand the harm that can be caused by a failure to combat discrimination of any kind, and the critical need to eliminate it at its source.
“Only through collaboration at all levels of the game is it possible to create an inclusive environment for everyone.”
