Following Azeem Rafiq’s hard-hitting and courageous testimony in front of Parliament’s DCMS committee on the racism scandal at Yorkshire, we can reveal that nearly half of cricket fans say they have either experienced or witnessed racism in the sport.
Rafiq stated his belief that the sport was institutionally racist as he recounted his treatment in the Yorkshire dressing room, which was subsequently ignored by the White Rose’s hierarchy.
In a Mirror Cricket poll on racism in the sport, which you can also take below, 46% of respondents said they also felt that cricket is institutionally racist, with 46.4% revealing that they had either experienced or witnessed racism in the sport.
Shockingly, of those who had experienced or witnessed racism, 90.6% said that the incident was not dealt with correctly - with just 9.4% feeling satisfied with the action that was taken after the racism they had witnessed or experienced.
Whilst Rafiq’s testimony was mainly based on his experiences in a professional environment, just 21.2% of the respondents to our poll had witnessed or been subject to racist abuse at a professional level.
The rest of the incidents, 78.8%, occurred at an amateur level, with one respondent revealing that they had witnessed numerous incidents.
“I have witnessed racism in cricket in other counties in various forms,” they said.
“Racism in cricket is at an amateur level and not just professional.
“There are many players in club cricket from different ethnic backgrounds and talking to other parents and players from these backgrounds, they have a similar orthe same opinion that racism is widespread at all levels of age groups, be it amateur or professional, club cricket or county cricket.”
Just 10.3% of fans have been left surprised by the scandal at Yorkshire, suggesting a belief that racism may be more widespread and not limited to one county.
In response to the scandal, the ECB have stripped Yorkshire of the rights to host England and Hundred matches until they are able to demonstrate a change in attitudes.
Fans were fairly split on whether these sanctions go far enough, with 44.4% feeling that Yorkshire deserve more punishment, and 55.6% arguing the ECB’s response has been adequate.
What do you make of the findings? Have your say in the comments below.
