Glamorgan Cricket and Cricket Wales have issued a joint statement, following an article published yesterday in The Telegraph:
We are deeply concerned to learn of both Mohsin’s and Imran’s experiences within our game in Wales.
Recent societal events have led us all to evaluate our roles in being inclusive and diverse and we all in cricket recognise the need to change our sport for the better. Cricket is not where it should be and we are obviously saddened by Mohsin’s and Imran’s experiences.
For us, this begins on our own doorstep and we are actively taking steps to engage with diverse communities in Wales to make cricket more accessible, inclusive, and diverse for all.
BAME-focused programmes such as ‘Beyond the Boundary’ aim to provide opportunities to play cricket, providing access to the cricket pathway and giving players across Wales the chance to achieve their potential. We also provide free tickets for Glamorgan matches to BAME communities to watch, follow and attend cricket.
Over recent years it has also been very positive to see two British Asian, Cardiff-born players in the Glamorgan 1st XI, while the Glamorgan board has two British Asian members, giving the organisation a wider awareness and perspective.
Central to the future of cricket in Wales is our strategy ‘Inspiring Generations in Wales’, which has a vision of ‘cricket capturing the imagination of Wales.’
A key part of this strategy is to make cricket as accessible and diverse as possible, and for the game to be for everyone. A working group, created to improve our insight and impact into our BAME communities, are tasked in supporting our ambition to become a truly inclusive sport for everyone in Wales.
This advisory group was formed a month ago and includes Imran Hassan, as well as Glamorgan player Kiran Carlson, BAME Cricket Coordinator at Cricket Wales, Ali Abdi and Chair at Llandaff CC and director at the National Asian Cricket Council, Sohail Rauf, and will report in to board members Sameer Rahman, Rezwan Hassan and CEO Hugh Morris for board approval.
Cricket Wales’ own Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board Sub-Group has been in place for three years and supports the Executive’s and Board’s objectives to ensure grassroots and community cricket in Wales is as inclusive and welcoming to all.
Cricket Wales is also proud to have been recently re-accredited at the Intermediate level of the Equality Standard for Sport, which recognises National Governing Bodies’ commitments to embedding equality in their organisation, as well as in their sport.
Whilst we are proactive in our efforts to take the game of cricket out to a more diverse society, we know that we must do more, and we are open and listening to ways we can further improve.
We will reach out to both players in the hope we can learn more about their experiences in as much detail as possible and get their feedback, as well as speaking to wider community groups so we can ensure everybody has the same opportunity and experience playing the game in Wales.