'Essential that Cricket Scotland appoints diverse board'

It it “essential” that Cricket Scotland appoints a diverse board with the skills to take the game forward, the national agency for sport in the country has insisted.

It comes after Cricket Scotland was found to be “institutionally racist” following an independent review.

The review, conducted by Plan4Sport, found 448 examples in which institutional racism was demonstrated.

Cricket Scotland described the report as a “watershed moment” for the sport and said that it was clear that “significant cultural change” must happen.

In an interim update produced by sportscotland, the organisation noted that progress had been made by Cricket Scotland in “several areas” since publication of the report.

However, sportscotland underlined the need for “robust actions” as well as “genuine cultural change” within the sport.

It also stated that the appointment of a diverse board would be an “important step” in Cricket Scotland demonstrating “real and meaningful” change.

Forbes Dunlop, chief operating officer of sportscotland, explained the agency will work with Cricket Scotland to re-build, as well as to deliver on the recommendations it was given.

“In the eight weeks since publication of the Changing The Boundaries report, Cricket Scotland has made progress in several areas,” she said.

“However, it is important that further progress for the independent chair and non-executive directors is ongoing and it is essential that Cricket Scotland appoints a diverse board that has the skillset to take the sport forward.

“That will be an important step in demonstrating real and meaningful change.”

Dunlop said that referrals made are now being reviewed.

“It is unacceptable that anyone has experienced racist abuse and discrimination while playing cricket and where that has been the case, steps must be taken to address the past,” she continued.

“Referrals made as part of the review are now being reviewed and, where appropriate, investigated as part of a fully independent and robust process.”

She added: “Today’s interim progress update and the associated Cricket Scotland short-term action plan must be followed up with robust actions and genuine cultural change within the sport.

“We will help Cricket Scotland to re-build while keeping all options on the table to ensure they deliver on all recommendations in the Changing the Boundaries report.”