Former cricketer and outspoken black rights activist Michael Holding has urged cricketers to share tales of the racism, sexism, or any other kind of discrimination faced by them while playing the game. Holding said that now is the time to come up with such narratives to change the game which has been infested with multitudes of discrimination. He said that those who have something to say about discrimination should report it to Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), which has asked for such testimonies.
His comments come in the wake of the Azeem Rafiq-Yorkshire scandal. Azeem alleged that he faced racist behavior from his teammates during his playing days at Yorkshire and his teammates like Gary Ballance even admitted using racial slurs. Now, Yorkshire stadium can’t hold international cricket matches and sponsors like Nike have canceled their affiliation with the Yorkshire club. It also led to the resignation of president Roger Hatton after the backlash.
I urge anyone who has experienced racism, sexism, elitism, or any kind of unfair treatment in cricket, anyone who has a story to share about being included, welcomed, or supported to respond to the commission's call for evidence. Now is your time to be heard, to share your story, and be a part of the change the game so desperately needs.
