Middlesex chairman Mike O'Farrell has been slammed for his "outdated" views and regurgitating racist stereotypes while giving evidence to a parliamentary committee.
Speaking to MPs about the ongoing issue of racism which is embedded into cricket, O'Farrell made claims that Asian people are more interested in education than sport, and that black people prefer football.
He was one of four county chairmen who were appearing before the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee on Tuesday.
"The other thing in the diversity bit is that the football and rugby world becomes much more attractive to the Afro-Caribbean community," O'Farrell told MPs.
"And in terms of the South Asian community, there is a moment where we're finding that they do not want necessarily to commit the same time that is necessary to go to the next step because they sometimes prefer to go into other educational fields, and then cricket becomes secondary.
"And part of that is because it's a rather more time-consuming sport than some others. So we're finding that's difficult."
O'Farrell's comments echoed those of ex-FA chair Greg Clarke, whose career was affected after he told the same DCMS committee in 2020 that Asian people prefer careers in IT over sport.
Shortly after the Middlesex chair had made the claims, which were broadcast live on the BBC Parliament channel, players Azeem Rafiq and Ebony Rainford-Brent denounced his comments.
Rafiq, who had appeared before that committee last November to make his bombshell claims about the extent of the racist bullying he had endured as a player at Yorkshire, expressed his disbelief at what had been said.
"This has just confirmed what an endemic problem the game has," he wrote on Twitter. "I actually can’t believe what I am listening to #GiveMeStrength."
Rainford-Brent, who became the first black woman to play cricket for England and now holds the director of women's cricket position at Surrey CCC, was also appalled.
"Honestly these outdated views in the game are exactly why we are in this position," she added.
"Unfortunately the decision makers hold onto these myths. ‘The Black community only like football, and Asian community only interested in education’. Seriously the game deserves better."
After the backlash, O'Farrell released a statement through Middlesex in which he apologised for "the misunderstanding that my comments made at this morning’s DCMS Select Committee hearing have evidently caused".
He said: "I wholly accept that this misunderstanding is entirely down to my own lack of clarity and context in the answers I provided, and I am devastated that my comments have led to the conclusions some have made.
"For the purposes of clarification, I was aiming to make the point that as a game, cricket has failed a generation of young cricketers, in systematically failing to provide them with the same opportunities that other sports and sectors so successfully provide.
"Cricket has to take responsibility for these failings and must learn that until we make the game an attractive proposition for youngsters of all backgrounds to continue through the pathway into the professional game, much like other sports and sectors are doing, the game won’t make the progress it needs to.
"We at Middlesex are no different. We have an Academy side that contains in excess of 60% British born Asian and black young cricketers, and we must take responsibility for ensuring that the route into the professional game is as accessible and appealing as other sports or opportunities.
"I speak on behalf of the entire Club in saying that our desire is to see a first eleven walking out to play for the Club which is truly reflective of the broadly diverse county that Middlesex is today and that we will do all within our power to make that happen.
"Once again I apologise for any upset or hurt my earlier comments may have caused, that was most definitely not my intention."
Another chairman giving evidence also came under fire from a member of the committee over comments he is alleged to have made at a meeting last November.
MP Kevin Brennan said Rod Bransgrove, the Hampshire chairman, had claimed to have said at the meeting: "I know what racism is like. I’m a white man over 60."
Bransgrove dismissed those allegations, however, branding them as "absolute nonsense".
