Essex has been fined £100,000, with £50,000 suspended for two years, after being accused by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) of systemic and long-standing hatred and bias within the club. This penalty follows a research report written by Katherine Newton KC and released in December 2023. That was focused on the testimonies of three former players, one of whom was nicknamed “Bomber” because of his South Asian origin and another who was teased with bananas because he was Black.
Essex Fined For Racist Language & Conduct
From 2001 to 2010, the club was charged with violating ECB Directive 3.3 for “conduct, acts, or omissions which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute”.The sanction is similar to that imposed on Essex in May 2022. At that time the club was fined £50,000 after former club chair John Faragher admitted to using the racist phrase “n****r in the woodpile”.
It happened during a board meeting in 2017 – the incident that prompted the Newton report’s commissioning. The CDC panel, which included chair Nigel Popplewell, Professor Seema Patel, and Mark Milliken-Smith KC, stated that it was unable to impose sporting sanctions such as point deductions. Essex received it last week after their opening batter, Feroz Khushi, was found to have used an illegal bat in their first County Championship match of the season. Essex, who has also been warned, has until October 2 to appeal.
Excuses by Essex’s Officials
ECB Chief Executive Officer Richard Gould said: “Racism has no place in our sport. I’m appalled by what those who experienced racism at Essex have been through, and the way this behaviour could become normalized. It is vital that as a sport we listen and learn from their experiences, and ensure that no one suffers like that again.” Essex County Cricket Club Chair, Anu Mohindru KC, said: “There is deep regret for what occurred in the past, but these events do not reflect the Essex Cricket of today.
“The Club has accepted the sanctions remains committed to tackling all forms of discrimination, and is fully aligned with the ECB‘s goal of making cricket the country’s most inclusive team sport,” he explained. The CR panel believed that the length of time covered by the charge, as well as the frequent use of racist and discriminatory language, showed a culture that was “embedded” across the club’s management.
The panel appreciated Essex’s early admission of the charge as mitigation. As well they didn’t react to the punishments imposed as a result of the club’s separate independent review, which was conducted by Katharine Newton KC. Former players Jahid Ali, Maurice Chambers, and Zoheb Sharif have all made charges of racism, prompting the study. The CR did not identify who Essex had sanctioned, but did mention “the seniority within the club of some involved.”
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