Scotland cricket star was victimised over racism claims

A high cricketer who blew the whistle on racism within the sport was victimised for talking out, in keeping with an unbiased report.

The unique grievance by Majid Haq led to the governance of Cricket Scotland being branded institutionally racist in a evaluation which was revealed in 2022.

The game’s governing physique then requested for additional investigations to be carried out into racism allegations, considered one of which prompt that Mr Haq had been victimised.

Cricket Scotland stated this report was simply considered one of quite a lot of authorized opinions it had obtained, and refuted any claims that it was not addressing the problem of racism.

It additionally stated it was implementing greater than 200 suggestions for enchancment.

Mr Haq says he has confronted a backlash, together with direct racism and a whole bunch of abusive messages on social media, since he went public.

He stated there had been “too many phrases and never sufficient actions” after he and former Scotland teammate Qasim Sheikh spoke out about their experiences of racism in the game.

The unique evaluation into his allegations was accomplished in 2022. It discovered proof of institutional racism in Scottish cricket and highlighted 448 examples.

These had been whittled right down to 43 particular person allegations of racism towards 27 those that may very well be investigated additional – together with 13 claims from Mr Haq that spanned his membership and worldwide profession.

Cricket Scotland stated 5 instances went by a disciplinary course of, which concluded final yr that they didn’t meet the brink for sanctions towards any people.

Within the wake of the 2022 report, Cricket Scotland employed two regulation companies and a race equality charity to independently examine the racism allegations made by former gamers and others within the recreation.

BBC Scotland understands they supplied two separate experiences which supplied completely different opinions about Mr Haq’s case.

They cowl the interval when Mr Haq was sent home from the 2015 Cricket World Cup after he posted a tweet which stated “All the time more durable when in a minority #race #color” after being dropped for a recreation.

The report by the investigators who took a broader have a look at the complaints and potential discrimination has been seen by BBC Scotland.

It says Mr Haq’s tweet was a “wholly improper method of elevating the problem” – however that reasonably than investigating the true purpose why it was despatched, Cricket Scotland noticed Mr Haq “as the issue”.

It says his allegations had been dismissed and never totally investigated.

The authors say: “It seems that the very notion that there was any challenge of racial discrimination in cricket was not solely dismissed out of hand, however Majid was victimised for having raised it.”

That report additionally suggests “members of the cricketing neighborhood have blamed Majid for elevating the problems of race in Scottish cricket” and means that his later profession as umpire was “considerably undermined” because of him talking out. A club official was convicted in 2023 for racially abusing him.

The second thematic report is known to supply a unique opinion.

A request from Mr Haq to see the experiences was rejected by Cricket Scotland on the idea that they had been ready for inside use solely.

Mr Haq stated it felt like no person had been held to account within the years since he spoke out.

“It looks like every part is being brushed underneath the carpet,” he stated.

“The belief has been misplaced. I can not imagine it’s a must to work this difficult to get justice and for the authorities simply to do the appropriate factor.

“We’re nonetheless not any additional ahead sorting issues out – deep down the sensation is we have been let down.”

One other former Scotland cricketer, Qasim Sheikh, has beforehand stated he was told “you should count yourself lucky to be here” when he complained about racism within the recreation.

Mr Haq and Mr Sheikh have obtained hundreds of racist and abusive communications on social media since talking out.

An evaluation from the Operating Out Racism charity suggests a single particular person has despatched practically 3,000 messages to them.

Final yr, Hamza Tahir, who was capped 49 instances for Scotland, claimed he was the victim of racial discrimination and launched an unfair dismissal case after his contract was not renewed.

Graham Campbell, an SNP councillor in Glasgow and spokesman for the Operating Out Racism charity which has been representing most of the complainants, stated:

“They’ve introduced in anti-racism consultants and people consultants have concluded, sure, there’s institutional racism and that ought to result in a sea change in behaviour of cricket in Scotland.

“However that is not been proven or demonstrated to us. The truth is what we have skilled is a battening down and an try to comb issues underneath the carpet.

“The proof in that is so overwhelming it ought to result in some heads rolling and the actual fact it hasn’t is a shame.”

Aamer Anwar, a solicitor performing for Mr Haq and different complainants, stated his purchasers imagine the Cricket Scotland board ought to resign and the organisation put again underneath the management of Scottish authorities physique SportScotland.

He stated: “Cricket Scotland is incapable of coping with the poison of racism, confronting the reality or its ‘backward’ tradition. There’s a restrict to how far more ‘gaslighting’ Majid and different victims can take.

“Cricket Scotland will not be match for function and have responded with cowardly and shameful sufferer blaming assertion.”

Final yr a separate unbiased evaluation discovered that ladies concerned in Scottish cricket face a toxic environment and a high degree of prejudice.

Related race and sexism points have been found in English and Welsh cricket.

Cricket Scotland is within the technique of implementing a whole bunch of suggestions from each the racism and sexism evaluations.

The sporting physique can be rolling out a brand new equality and variety plan for the game.

Cricket Scotland says it “refutes any claims” it’s not taking an anti-racist stance or failing to handle the problems which have been raised.

It added: “We perceive a small variety of people proceed to really feel publicly aggrieved by the outcomes of the method.

“It’s deeply disappointing that an investigative course of which relied on the belief of people concerned and a confidential report that adopted is being utilised to additional private agendas.

“The report is an opinion that was constructed round this matter, and never a declaration of reality.

“Different opinions in addition to detailed authorized evaluation had been supplied for the Cricket Scotland board to think about how it will act.

“Cricket Scotland has an obligation of care to everybody within the Scottish cricketing neighborhood, and never only a choose few people.”