ECB ready for outside regulator after ‘earthquake’ of allegations
Cricket will accept an independent regulator if necessary after the “earthquake” of racism allegations sparked by the Azeem Rafiq case.
The England and Wales Cricket Board yesterday released its action plan for combatting discrimination and chief executive Tom Harrison also revealed the board would undergo a governance review, which could mean its remit is reduced following criticism by MPS
of its dual role as a “regulator and promoter” of cricket.
He also said the sport could accept an independent regulator if the review recommends that, just days after a similar idea was put forward for football.
“We had meetings with county chairs yesterday to talk about other items around the role of counties, role of the ECB, whether we should be regulator and national governing body going forward,” Harrison said.
“If a governance review comes back with a recommendation, then you need a very good reason not to go along with that recommendation. We have a self-regulation model. You may want to move to a hybrid co-regulator model or completely independent regulator model. That is something for that process to debate and understand and we are going to do that in detail.”
Harrison said he was “very committed” to remaining as chief executive and was “not going to walk away now” after introducing the action plan to combat criticism of the game’s failure to reach diverse communities and allegations of institutionalised racism in the sport.
“I am so committed to sorting this issue out with the game,” he said. “We have come up with some urgent and significant action as a result of what has happened and I
understand I have the backing of the game and I am very keen and motivated to ensure we provide this welcoming environment across this sport for everybody. I am not going to walk away from that now.
“I know we are in the dock for words, words, words, blah, blah blah, no action. What we have to do is be very visible, make sure we are talking and listening to people.”
The action plan, revealed by The Daily Telegraph, includes a standardised whistleblowing system, a review of dressing-room culture across the professional game, diversity training for all players, coaches and umpires across cricket and diversity targets for coaches and boardroom members. An anti-discrimination unit will be established and the ECB has pledged £5milliona-year funding for five years.
“The game has been through an enormous exercise of deep introspection. Sometimes an earthquake can provide the opportunity to accelerate years and years of change in a very quick period of time. Perhaps this has been the shock that enables the game to come together once and for all,” Harrison said.
All 18 counties put out statements of support within minutes of the publication of the ECB’S plan but Julian Knight, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee chair, said: “A crucial first step but I’m afraid to say that is all it is. The committee will need to be sure that real change follows and the game properly confronts the numerous claims of racial discrimination. The game of cricket is still in the emergency ward.”