The game of cricket has begun an important conversation as to how all its constituent parts can be more inclusive, improve diversity and tackle discrimination head on. Education must be at the heart of this if the sport is to deliver meaningful, sustainable change and we fully support the PCA’s anti-racism programme announced today.
We recognise that County clubs such as Yorkshire, with our deep connections to local communities have a responsibility to follow these important conversations with clear actions. In the coming weeks, we will complete the appointment of a Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion who will have responsibility for delivering activities which will support the ECB’s diversity and inclusion action plan. We have enhanced our policies with regards to reporting discriminatory behaviour and are engaging with our players and staff to ensure they understand their obligations and feel supported to address areas of concern. And our long established community organisation, the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, will continue to deliver projects designed to enable diversity, target deprivation and improve physical and mental wellbeing.
In addition to this work, the independent investigation into both the specific allegations of racism made by our former player, Azeem Rafiq and a thorough review of the club’s policies and procedures with regards to tackling racism is continuing. We are very aware that this is a difficult and distressing time for all individuals involved. It is important that these matters are considered swiftly, thoughtfully and independently to allow all those involved to contribute to meaningful, positive change which can be shared across our sport.
