ECB official suspended due to Devon Malcolm racist slur: Reports

Both the Daily Telegraph and The Times said Friday the unnamed person, who has worked at English cricket's governing body for several years, allegedly made a remark earlier this season about being unable to see Malcolm until the 59-year-old Jamaica-born quick smiles. They added the official has been stood down pending an investigation, although the ECB has so far declined to comment.

Friday's reports, however, are a further blow to the English game, which has been trying to repair its tarnished image following Azeem Rafiq's allegations of racism during his time playing for Yorkshire. Malcolm took 128 wickets in 40 Tests for England after emigrating to Sheffield in northern England when he was a teenager in 1979.

He is best remembered for a superb return of 9-57 against an overwhelmed South Africa at the Oval in 1994. Malcolm and another former England paceman Dean Headley were among five newcomers added to the ECB's match referees panel last year as part of a bid to improve diversity.

An absence of non-white officials was behind allegations of racism made by former Test umpire John Holder and county reserve list umpire Ismail Dawood. Both complained about discrimination in the appointments system two years ago.

Holder and Dawood withdrew their employment claim against the ECB one week after the appointments of Malcolm and Headley.