Haq shock as racism review calls in the police
WHISTLEBLOWER Majid Haq yesterday admitted even he was surprised by the sheer scale of the problems facing Scottish cricket after the organisation leading the independent review of racism in the game revealed they had already referred some cases to the police. The review, launched in December 2021, followed a number of serious allegations against Cricket Scotland, with Haq and fellow former Scotland international Qasim Sheikh accusing the governing body of ‘institutional racism’. Plan4Sport have revealed some cases have been so serious that Police Scotland
are now set to investigate. referrals have also been made to Children First, Scotland’s National Children’s Charity, which supports survivors of abuse, neglect and traumatic events in childhood.
Issues around misogyny, leadership and governance within the sport have also been raised but, according to the manager director of Plan4Sport, Louise Tideswell, these will be ‘reported separately at a later date’.
The review, which is due to be completed in July 2022, has spoken to national squad players, Cricket Scotland and board members both past and present as part of the process, with numerous areas of concern being identified.
In response to the latest update, Haq (right) told Sportsmail he was shocked by the recent findings, with around 400 people thought to have responded.
‘When I first spoke out about Cricket Scotland being institutionally racist, I had no idea things were so bad,’ said Scotland’s record wicket-taker. ‘After reading the interim report, it looks even more damaging than I could possibly have imagined.
‘The involvement of the police is particularly concerning, as are the number of people who have come forward.
‘From a personal point of view, I would like to see people being named and held accountable for their actions and punished for allowing racism to continue.’
Sportsmail understands that Haq and his lawyer, Aamer Anwar, will speak to Plan4Sport before the review reaches its conclusion in July. Interim chair of Cricket Scotland, Sue Strachan, meanwhile, welcomed the report and said Cricket Scotland were ‘keen to take some immediate steps’.
‘rebuilding trust is a key priority for us and we have begun to reach out to those who have been directly affected by racism in the sport,’ she said.
‘We accept that we have a lot of work to do and we want to move forward.
‘We have already started to implement a programme of eDI education for our staff, board and council members. We have also been working with sportscotland and Plan4Sport to ensure we reach a wider, more diverse audience in our search for our new Ceo.
‘The racism review will continue to be the top priority and focus of our Interim Ceo.’
Sportscotland, who commissioned the review, thanked those who had already taken part and encouraged others who hadn’t already done so to speak out. The chief executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, said: ‘We understand that sharing experiences can be difficult and even traumatic. It takes courage and bravery and I want to personally thank each and every person who has taken the step of coming forward and engaging with the review. The review is ongoing and there is still an opportunity to contribute. It is vital that the review team hear from those who have experienced or witnessed racism, inequalities or discrimination within cricket. So, if you haven’t come forward, then please do so. You will be treated with respect and compassion.’
It’s now hoped that more people will come forward to share their experiences, without fear of recrimination. An anonymous online survey, which has captured more than 200 responses so far, remains open for those still looking to comment.
Significant changes, meanwhile, have already been implemented at board level — with a new interim chair and interim chief executive now in place. over the next two months, the review will work with focus groups across the sport.