The chair of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket has informed the England and Wales Cricket Board that monetary constraints shouldn’t be an excuse for holding again on implementing the suggestions of the report.
Cindy Butts, who headed the inquiry that concluded there’s structural and institutional racism, sexism and class-based discrimination within the sport, was responding to a letter from ECB chair Richard Thompson.
In that letter, issued final month following publication of the report, Thompson warned that a few of the suggestions would require “time and investment over the coming months and years”, and others elementary modifications to the sport and its funding mannequin.
Butts praised Thompson for his “candid public response” to the report and for apologising to these within the sport who’ve suffered discrimination and exclusion.
But she added: “I have commended the ECB’s bravery in establishing the Commission, and now I urge you to continue to be brave in engaging with those who have perhaps been the game’s fiercest critics; it is through those conversations, difficult though they may be, that genuine and lasting change can be achieved.
“When developing our recommendations, we were well aware that they would require significant resources, at a time when cricket in England and Wales is facing financial challenges – some common to other sectors and some unique to cricket.
“But we believe that the issues we highlighted are too important to be put on the back burner for lack of money.
“As you and colleagues have recognised, discrimination and lack of inclusion in cricket represent an existential crisis for the game. Cricket does have significant funds through its broadcast deals – it’s a question of how the game chooses to spend them.
“If ever there was a time to use them to ensure cricket’s survival, it must be now.”
Source: www.impartial.co.uk