Engulfed in racism row, ECB ties up with football's anti-discrimination organisation 'Kick It Out'

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has forged a partnership with football's leading anti-discrimination organisation, Kick It Out, to tackle racism in the sport while building a more inclusive cricketing environment.

This alliance is part of an ECB action plan that comprises a wide range of recommendations including a review of dressing room cultures across English cricket.

''... In addition, the ECB is working with Kick It Out, football's leading anti-discrimination organisation, to carry out research and identify areas where they can offer expertise in developing and implementing plans to build a more inclusive cricketing environment,'' the ECB said in its update of the action plan.

''It is the first time Kick It Out has worked outside football and the partnership is supported by funding from Sky (British broadcasters).'' Sky has pledged 100,000 pound to the project that comes after a parliamentary committee released a report earlier this month stating that racism in English cricket is ''deep-seated'' and the sport needs to ''clean up its act''.

The report followed former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq's emotional testimony to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee about the racist abuse he faced during two stints at the famous club beginning in 2008 and ending in 2018.

The ECB said that it is conducting a full review of dressing room culture in all men's and women's professional teams, both domestic and international. ''The review will be led by Clare Connor, managing director of women's cricket), with Ashley Giles, managing director of men's cricket, first class Counties, the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA) and external experts.

''It will examine dressing room culture(s) across elite cricket in England and Wales and make recommendations to address discriminatory attitudes and behaviours. ''The review will commence in February and run across the 2022 season (when dressing rooms are active) with the final report due in September,'' the ECB said.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) has been rocked by a racism row in recent times, a crisis that has been brewing since Rafiq, an all-rounder of Pakistani origin, alleged in 2020 there was institutional racism at the club.

The ECB said it is also working with each first class county to complete a comprehensive review of crowd behaviour and working with each venue in order to understand their specific plans and actions that are required ahead of the 2022 season.

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