Scotland’s national agency for sport, sportscotland, has today (Friday 28 April 2023) published a further interim update into the progress made by Cricket Scotland following an independent review into racism in Scottish cricket.
The Plan4Sport Changing The Boundaries report concluded that the governance and leadership practices of Cricket Scotland were institutionally racist. This followed an in-depth consultation process with close to 1,000 direct engagements from a broad cross-section of all levels of the sport in Scotland.
Changing The Boundaries contained three immediate high-level recommendations, with associated sub-recommendations. Today’s interim update provides an overview of progress against each of the key recommendations, with sportscotland also committing to two further public updates over the coming months. These updates will be published in July 2023 and October 2023.
Recommendations
Special Measures
Cricket Scotland to be placed in special measures by sportscotland. Special measures be in place until October 2023 to provide a full year of oversight by sportscotland.
Status: Ongoing (No change)
Board recruitment:
Cricket Scotland to commence an immediate recruitment process for new Board members, with appointments made by 30 September 2022. (The diversity of the Board members should be a minimum of 40% men and 40% women, and ensuring that a minimum of 25% of the total Board makeup come from of Black, South-East Asian, or other mixed or multiple ethnic groups.)
- An interim transitional Board is currently in place.
- Transitional Board members are 100% male and 50% from ethnically diverse communities.
- Priority is to being given to the appointment of permanent Board members over the coming months to ensure Cricket Scotland meets the diversity targets set out in the recommendations. This will be monitored on an ongoing basis.
Status: In Progress (No change)
Action Plan:
Action Plan to be developed by Cricket Scotland which addresses the immediate actions and short-term KPIs contained within the Changing The Boundaries report. The Action Plan should be approved by sportscotland by 30 September 2022.
Initial short-term Changing The Boundaries Action Plan approved by sportscotland. Implementation to be reviewed to ensure it delivers against all recommendations and significantly improves not only the systems and practices but also the culture within Cricket Scotland.
- Cricket Scotland has appointed a Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
- Draft anti-racism and EDI Strategy and Delivery Plan to be further by Head of HDI.
- Once developed, the anti-racism and EDI Strategy and Delivery Plan to be fully consulted on with the cricketing community including anti-racism partners.
- Head of EDI to review status of anti-racism and EDI Advisory Group.
Status: Complete (Immediate priority to be given to finalising anti-racism and EDI Strategy and Delivery Plan as well as anti-racism and EDI Advisory Group)
Special measures (WDCU):
Western District Cricket Union (WDCU) is placed in special measures by Cricket Scotland with immediate effect.
Status: Ongoing (No change)
WDCU disciplinary processes:
Temporary and immediate suspension of WDCU’s role in managing all disciplinary matters relating to its competitions and clubs. These are to be handed to an alternative organisation to manage.
Status: Complete (No change)
WDCU review:
An urgent, independent review into the overall effectiveness of WDCU’s Management Committee implementation of the disciplinary processes to be completed by 30 September 2022.
- New WDCU Executive Committee appointed 7 September 2022.
- 50% of newly Executive Committee positions filled by people from ethnically diverse communities.
- Independent review of disciplinary process now complete.
- Recommendations passed to new WDCU Executive Committee for further action.
Status: Complete (No change)
Referrals:
Cricket Scotland addresses the backlog in referrals generated from the review. All investigations resulting from referrals to be expedited by a third party with the appropriate expertise.
Following publication of the Changing The Boundaries report in July 2022, the number of referrals passed to Cricket Scotland has increased from 68 to 87, relating to 53 allegations of racism against 31 different people, two clubs and two Regional Associations.
In total there are 62 unique complaints, with nine considered to be non-race related. All complaints received are reviewed as part of an independent process being led by leading sports law firm Harper MacLeod LLP, UK-wide race equality charity Sporting Equals, and where appropriate, anti-racism campaign group Running Out Racism.
Following the high-level review Cricket Scotland has confirmed that of the 53 complaints that include allegations of racism, 22 require further formal investigation. A further review of all complaints could lead to these number being amended in the coming weeks.
All complainants have now been contacted in relation to the referral process and Harper Macleod and Sporting Equals have started investigating the initial cases from the 22 that involve potential rule breaches, as well as in gathering further information on other cases which require further clarity before decisions can be taken on the next steps.
As part of this stage of the process, the independent investigation team is now directly engaging with respondents and witnesses. When these investigations are complete the independent investigations team will submit a report and associated recommendation(s) to Cricket Scotland for final decisions and actions.
Status: In Progress (No change)