Cricket chiefs unveil action plan to tackle racism after Azeem Rafiq claims

Cricket bosses have unveiled their delayed game-wide action plan in response to a damaging racism scandal that has rocked the sport.

It follows an emergency summit of leading figures held in the wake of shocking testimony to MPs by whistleblower Azeem Rafiq, who detailed the abuse he suffered while a Yorkshire player.

As well as promising “tangible and immediate action” in the 12-point plan, originally due to be published on Wednesday, executives have said “cricket will continue to listen and learn” and expect to take further steps in the future.

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Clubs and counties failing to follow the new rules risk having their central funding withdrawn by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The action plan will see:

The plan will be underpinned by £25m in ECB funding over the next five years.

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However, even before being published cricket’s fight to tackle racism was dealt a further below when Mehmooda Duke quit her role as Leicestershire chair with immediate effect on Thursday.

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She was one of only two people from ethnic minority groups to hold such a role across the 18 first-class counties and her departure will be immediate blow to the game’s diversity target.

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, who has come under intense pressure in his role, said: “For cricket truly to ‘connect communities and improve lives’ – our stated aim at the ECB – we must start by accepting that not enough has happened to make our game better, both inside our own walls and across the wider game.

“That is the only possible reaction to the powerful testimony of Azeem Rafiq and others in recent weeks.

“I am delighted that this plan represents the whole game coming together to commit to tangible action and meaningful change.

“Our role as the ECB will now be to acknowledge the changes that need to be made internally, as well as offer support, resource, and funding to assist the game in making these changes.

“We look forward to working with our partners across the game to create a stronger, more inclusive sport and build back the trust of everyone who loves cricket.”

ECB interim chair Barry O’Brien said: ”This is a critical moment for cricket.

“At the all-game meeting last week, we agreed with one voice on the need to act decisively.

”Whilst change is required urgently, we also recognise that sustained action and improvements will be required over months and years if we are to become the most welcoming and diverse sport in the country. We begin today and will hold ourselves to account at each step of the way.”

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Mike O’Farrell, chair of Middlesex County Cricket Club, said: ”This has been a time of deep reflection across the sport.

“It was critical that we came together and agreed a way forward.

”Leaders across the game are aware of how fragile cricket’s future is if we do not address the issues laid bare by Azeem and others.

“More importantly, we realised how many people we are leaving behind by not acting together. We must all now align to implement these actions but also to keep listening in the coming months and adapt to all that we continue to learn.”

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