BBC diversity group rails at decision to keep Michael Vaughan on commentary

Michael Vaughan during the third Test at Headingley, which the email calls ‘the scene of one of the most devastating racism scandals to rock the sport’. Photograph: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

An in-house diversity group at the BBC has sent an extraordinary email to staff at the corporation criticising as “totally inexcusable” the decision to employ the former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan as part of its team covering the third Test against New Zealand at Headingley.

The email – written by BBC Sport’s Black, Asian and minority ethnic group and sent on Monday morning – said the decision to allow Vaughan to commentate on the game for Radio 5 live was “totally inexcusable” and “a shocking miscalculation” that had caused “excruciating, overwhelming and unbearable” distress among many members of staff.