'It was really hard to read' - UK PM Rishi Sunak reacts to ECB's incriminating report on racism and sexism

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed that he was distressed to read a report which elaborated the ‘racism, sexism, classism and elitism’ being widespread in English cricket. The PM decided to hold talks with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on this regard to put an end to the sensitive issues.

A two-year investigation by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) stated its findings as they made 44 recommendations and insisted on an apology from the ECB. Following the investigation, PM Sunak met with the ECB chair Richard Thompson to discuss the matter and find a solution on the regard on Saturday, July 1. The PM further addressed the ICEC report and backed the ECB to work on the matter, providing their apology.

“For people who love cricket, it was really hard to read. You were just sad about the sport that you love being described like that. For it to be brought to light that there were all these issues was really sad. I’ve spent a little bit of the morning talking to the team at the ECB about it. They have approached it in exactly the right way,” PM Sunak was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

ECB offered an unreserved apology and are committed to fix the problems: PM

The publication of the ICEC came in the wake of a racism scandal involving Pakistan-born bowler Azeem Rafiq at English county Yorkshire. The cricketer opened up on his treatment by the management and alleged racism and bullying in 2020, which led to the ECB to commission the report. 

“It was the ECB who commissioned this report. They did it off their own back because they wanted to be proactive in addressing the concerns that people have raised and they deserve credit for that. They are going about it in exactly the right way. They’ve offered an unreserved apology and from the conversations I’ve had with Richard and the team, they are absolutely committed to fix the problems and for this be a reset moment for cricket,” he added.