BANISHED SCOTS STARS FINALLY VINDICATED
THE review into Scottish cricket was launched after former international players Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh claimed they suffered abuse. Haq, 38, represented Scotland on more than 200 occasions but did not play again after being sent home from the 2015 World Cup. Sheikh made similar claims of being treated differently because of his race. Haq’s claims followed a storm at Yorkshire Cricket Club, with former player Azeem Rafiq telling a Parliament select committee English cricket is “institutionally” racist.
Sheikh, 37, said he was racially abused while playing at the age of 15 but that his team-mates backed him up. But he felt some comments in the dressing room made him feel uncomfortable.
Cricket Scotland’s Equality Action Plan led to a private hotline to encourage people to come
forward. Sportscotland ordered an independent inquiry last year after numerous complaints from within the game.
The independent review into racism that kicked off in April included in-depth consultation with individuals and experts at all levels of the game and the creation of a confidential space for individuals to share their personal experiences.
More than 200 people came forward to give evidence to the investigation into racism in Scottish cricket.
Some details from testimonies have already been passed to Police Scotland.
The report’s findings will be released today.
The Cricket Scotland Board claimed in a letter to its interim CEO that they had resigned because they would be unable to implement the recommendations within the timescale given.
Sportscotland, which is run on
Scottish Government and National Lottery funding, provided more than £500,000 to Cricket Scotland between 2019 and 2020.
Aamer Anwar, the lawyer representing Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh, said: “Cricket Scotland is an organisation that was riddled from top to bottom with institutional racism.”