English cricket accepts racism, sexism and misogyny are rife in the sport

ECB chief Richard Thompson says Holding Up A Mirror To Cricket report was 'very uncomfortable'

ECB chairman Richard Thompson has said the problems in cricket 'were probably broader than we imagined'. PA

A report that found racism, sexism and misogyny are rife in cricket is a “wake-up call” for the sport, English cricket chief Richard Thompson has said.

Mr Thompson, chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said the Holding Up A Mirror To Cricket report made for “very uncomfortable” reading.

“I feel very sad,” he told Radio 4’s Today show on Tuesday.

The Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) report was commissioned by the ECB in November 2020 and its findings were published on Tuesday.

It said the sport's structures led to racial disparities and discrimination, and that the women's game was made to be subordinate to the men's, with women given little power, voice or influence.

Mr Thompson has apologised and pledged in a letter to ICEC chairwoman Cindy Butts to "use this moment to reset cricket".

More than 4,000 people responded to the ICEC's call for evidence, with some describing horrific stories, Ms Butts said.

"We heard of women being constantly stereotyped, demeaned, facing predatory behaviour," she said.

"We heard from women who are having to walk into scoreboxes and face signs that say 'no bras allowed'. This is 2023, not 1923."

She said race, gender and class bias were all baked into the sport.

“We heard from a former Muslim player who had to endure the indignity of his teammates laughing and joking about one of the players using the prayer mat," she said.

Speaking to Radio 4 on Tuesday, Ms Butts said one in two people told the organisation that they experienced discrimination.

“Those figures rise to 70 and 80 per cent among Indian, Pakistani, black respondents," she said.

“The evidence is clear. It is stark.”

She said cricket was "co-dependent” on private schools.

“The fact that the talent pathway is so inextricably linked and where cricket sources its talent from, shows it’s not a game for all. There is very, very little cricket being played in state schools,” she said.

“I’m afraid cricket is not a game for all and the evidence bares this out.”

Mr Thompson said the ECB commissioned the report because it “knew it had a problem", but that the scale of it was “probably broader than we imagined”.

“This is now a significant wake-up call for the game of cricket,” he said.

He said the sport accepted all of the report’s 44 findings.

“The first recommendation of the report is something I feel very strongly about, and that is to offer an unreserved apology for those people who feel they have been discriminated against, and marginalised and not included in the game they should have been," Mr Thompson said.

“I find this a very sad moment for the game.”

Mr Thompson said he had been involved in the sport for a long time and had witnessed instances of racism.

He said that in response he helped set up the Ace Programme, a charity founded in 2020 that is designed to encourage people of African and Caribbean heritage to take part cricket.

“We saw the fact there were big black communities in south London we weren’t reaching," he said.

“These are initiatives we have reached out with to try to make a genuine difference.”

Chevy Green, director of programmes at Ace, told Radio 4 the charity covered the travel expenses for some players.

“We just try to cover all bases and restrict any barriers that a parent may have or a child may have to participate in cricket, so all our sessions are free," he said.

“We have received some great support from Sport England and ECB, in recent times. But I think there definitely needs to be some further support.”

He said he was hopeful about the future of the sport.

“It’s potentially an exciting period,” he said.

Former professional cricketer Azeem Rafiq, who in 2020 ignited the debate around discrimination in the sport when he spoke out about the racism he faced while playing for Yorkshire, hailed the courage of those who contributed to the report.

"I hope that reading this report will be some closure to all the people that have contributed," Rafiq said.

"All of these people were brave enough to speak to the commission and I know there are a lot more out there suffering in silence.

"I just hope that this report reflects their voice and gives them a path to closure.

"It doesn't matter how you speak or where you speak, any sort of decision to speak and contribute to such a huge issue within our society, within our game, takes a lot of courage.

"I obviously don't know each and every one of these people [but] I'm just incredibly proud of that bravery."