England captain Ben Stokes says he is “deeply sorry” to hear of the shocking instances of discrimination in cricket laid bare in a damning report published today.
The ‘Holding Up A Mirror To Cricket’ investigation, carried out by an Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket, surveyed 4,000 respondents, half of whom reported experiencing discrimination of some form within the game.
Among the grim evidence submitted to the commission were stories of a Pakistani player having alcohol and bacon sandwiches thrown at him, while a Muslim player said he had endured jokes from teammates about using a prayer mat to clean up after sex.
Ahead of his press conference to preview this week’s Second Ashes Test at Lord’s Stokes delivered a pre-prepared statement.
“To the people involved in the game who have been made to feel unwelcome or unaccepted in the past, I am deeply sorry to hear of your experiences,” he said. “Cricket is a game that needs to celebrate diversity on all fronts because without diversity, this game would not where it is at today.
“As a sport, we need to learn from past mistakes and do all we can to make people feel safe and be themselves at every level.”
The report is also heavily critical of the extent to which private schools dominate the talent pathway, as well as the lack of diversity in elite cricket compared to recreational level.
Stokes was part of the 2019 World Cup winning side famously championed for its diversity, with the squad including players born in Barbados, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, as well as Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, who were both born in the UK but have Pakistani heritage.
“I have been an England player since 2011 and I feel very fortunate to have been a part of some incredibly diverse teams and love how everyone has a different story to tell,” Stokes continued. “We must go further and be more inclusive and diverse because the game I love – and millions worldwide love - should be enjoyed without fear of discrimination or judgement whether that be due to your upbringing, race or gender.
“Everyone has a different story to tell. I am Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, a state educated pupil who dropped out of school at 16 with one GCSE in PE. I needed help with the spelling and grammar in this speech and I am currently sitting here as the England men's Test captain.
"It is clear there is so much more the game has to do and as players we really want to be a part of that to ensure this is truly a sport for everyone.”
It’s a continual learning process, something we try and be open-minded about.
Australia captain Pat Cummins said that he is proud of the diversity within his team but that such matters are a “continual learning process” for all involved.
"I haven’t had a read of the report, I heard it was being released today,” he stated. “I’ve been playing for 12 years now and we’re probably all a little bit better than we were. Everyone thinks about how they act a bit more than 12 years ago.
“It’s a continual learning process, something we try and be open-minded about. I love that we’ve got some real diversity in our team, its a real strength of ours, celebrating everyone’s individuality. I hope everyone that walks into Australian cricket, whether that’s playing or watching, feels welcome and feels appreciated."