Middlesex become first County Championship side to sign Muslim Athlete Charter

Middlesex have become the first County Championship side to sign the Muslim Athlete Charter in a move they say will help the county "strengthen its voice and zero tolerance policy towards any form of discrimination".

The charter launched back in June and aims to "promote a culture of educational excellence for the Muslim athletes".

Thirty-seven football clubs across Europe have already signed the charter, while England stars Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali are ambassadors for the organisation.

Ankit Shah, the Co-Chair of Middlesex's Diversity and Inclusivity Committee, said the charter will help the county show that "cricket is a game that is welcoming and can be enjoyed by everyone at all levels".

He said: "We are absolutely focussed on learning all that we can in our quest to make Middlesex a wholly inclusive Club.

"There is a lot of good work already happening, however there is much still to be done if we are to reach our goals, and the signing of this Charter is a significant step towards us getting there.

"This is not about us promoting cricket, this is about us showing that cricket is a game that is welcoming and can be enjoyed by everyone at all levels.

"Making this commitment will assist us greatly in ensuring that the steps we are taking have a positive and valuable impact on the lives of those in the game, and I couldn’t be prouder that Middlesex Cricket has followed many leading organisations in other sports in signing the Charter."

Last month, Middlesex chairman Mike O'Farrell was criticised for comments he made about the Afro-Caribbean and South Asian communities while giving evidence to a parliamentary committee.

"The other thing in the diversity bit is that the football and rugby world becomes much more