The ECB have removed elements of the much-delayed independent report into racism in cricket amidst fears of being hit with a huge legal bill.
Mail Sport has learned that the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket has uncovered shocking claims of alleged racist abuse suffered by thousands of ex-players, but some details have been taken out amidst concerns that publication could lead to defamation claims.
The ICEC was set up by the ECB in November 2020 in the aftermath of Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of racist abuse at Yorkshire, with a brief to examine issues involving race, gender and social class in the sport.
After spending a year collecting evidence ICEC chair Cindy Butts provided an update in March 2022 ahead of the planned publication date of last autumn in which she warned that cricket was ‘facing a reckoning,’ while ECB chairman Richard Thompson conceded in the governing body’s annual report last year that the findings will be ‘challenging’ for the game.
The ECB are understood to have received a draft of the report several weeks ago, but publication has been delayed by the governing body’s requests for revisions due to potential legal problems.
In the aftermath of Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of facing racist abuse at Yorkshire, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket launched a report into racism in cricket
Whilst the testimony of the victims has been anonymised and the identities of their alleged abusers removed, the ECB’s lawyers are understood to have expressed concerns that individuals could still be identified.
Although there has been no attempt to alter the overall tone of what is expected to be a damning report the revision process is understood to have caused some frustration amongst the ICEC.
A source with knowledge of the process told Mail Sport: ‘It’s ridiculous that this has dragged on for so long.
‘All the allegations are anonymous, but there’s still concern that some details could lead to people being exposed.
‘There’s been a lot of debate about what can be included in the final report, with the ECB lawyers trying to take things out to cover themselves.’
An ECB source told Mail Sport that the revision process was standard practice and that maintaining the anonymity of both complainants and those accused was of paramount importance.
After receiving legal advice that individuals in the draft report were identifiable the ECB are understood to have made several recommendations regarding alterations to the ICEC, as well as seeking to ensure that both bodies have legal indemnities.
The ICEC will have the final say on when the report is published, with the latest estimate that it will finally be ready by the end of the month. The ECB and ICEC declined to comment.
Butts was appointed chair of the Commission in March 2021 and has devoted over two years to the report. The highly-respected governance and equality expert also sits on the House of Lords Conduct Committee and is a member of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.
‘What is clear is that all is not well in cricket,’ Butts said in March last year.
‘Cricket is facing a reckoning. It has to grasp this opportunity to understand and diagnose what the problem is. And then recommend – in an evidence-based way – what the solutions are to its problems. That is abundantly clear.
The ECB have intervened to remove elements of the much-delayed independent report into racism in cricket amidst fears of being hit with a huge legal bill due to defemation fears
‘Cricket needs to really look in the mirror. It has to say: “This is what we look like and we are prepared to tackle the issues that are prevalent within the sport in a concerted, serious and considered way.”
‘We hope that, through our report, we will be able to help the sport to move forward into a much more positive place.’
ECB chairman Thompson admitted last December that the Commission’s report would prove ‘challenging for the sport’ and that they had to work harder to make it more inclusive.
‘We know cricket at its best is a game for everyone, no matter what their background,’ Thompson said.
‘We also know the difficult truth: that for too many people, that hasn’t always been the case. We know we are at the start of the journey and we will continue to work to reach a place where cricket is the most inclusive sport.’
The ICEC first said the report would be published in the autumn of 2022, before later announcing it would be out in early 2023.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer last week told the department for Digital Culture Media and Sport Select Committee that the report would be published soon, but insisted she was unaware of its contents.
The ECB has also introduced a 12-point plan to tackle racism in the wake of Rafiq’s allegations
In addition to commissioning the ICEC report the ECB has also introduced a 12-point plan to tackle racism in the wake of Rafiq’s allegations about Yorkshire.
The ECB also launched its own investigation into Rafiq’s allegation and Yorkshire’s handling of those allegations.
Six former Yorkshire players have been sanctioned by an independent Cricket Discipline Commission in relation to the matter, with a seventh – former England captain Michael Vaughan – cleared of using racist or discriminatory language.
Yorkshire have pleaded guilty to four ECB charges relating to racism and face a sanctions hearing on June 27, with a points deduction and fine the most likely punishment.
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