DCMS committee says Yorkshire EGM ‘first step’ in cricket’s fight against racism

Key reforms to be voted on at Yorkshire next week should be seen as “the first step” in cricket putting its house in order on racism in the game, according to the chair of a parliamentary committee.

Yorkshire will hold an extraordinary general meeting on March 31 to vote on changes to the structure of the board.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has said the reforms are a key condition of restoring Yorkshire’s right to host lucrative international matches at Headingley this summer, a privilege which it withdrew last year over the county’s handling of racism allegations from former player Azeem Rafiq.

Pressure started to mount on Yorkshire following two aborted previous attempts to hold the EGM after former chairman and current vice-president Robin Smith declared the new chairmanship of Lord Kamlesh Patel invalid.

The recommendations of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee report into racism in cricket, published in January, have now been endorsed by the Government, and the committee’s chair Julian Knight said on Thursday: “Our view that sustained action is urgently needed to root out endemic racism in cricket is one that has now received overwhelming support from across the board.

“The ECB, Professional Cricketers’ Association and long-standing sponsors, who have severed their links with Yorkshire over the club’s approach to tackling the problem, are all now on the same page and the committee and the Government are speaking as one.

“Anyone who still fails to acknowledge the deep-seated nature of racism in the sport, while using distraction tactics to frustrate much-needed reforms, is in the minority.

“Next week, by voting for the reforms put forward by Lord Patel, Yorkshire members can continue the process