Racism is a 'scar on the face' of British sport, says Stone
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Responding to an Urgent Question on racism in cricket, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for sport, Jamie Stone MP, has today urged cooperation between the UK and Scottish Governments in tackling every sort of racial prejudice in British sport.
The Urgent Question was tabled in light of Yorkshire County Cricket Club coming under fire for its lack of action over reports by player, Azeem Raffiq, of racist discrimination and bullying during his time at the club. Since this story has surfaced, Yorkshire CCC chairman, Roger Hutton has resigned, and protesters are calling on more resignations from chief executive, Mark Arthur, and director of cricket, Martyn Moxon.
Former Yorkshire cricket officials have said other counties have "the same problem" with racism, showing a widespread problem with racism in British cricket.
After speaking on the Urgent Question, Mr Stone commented: "Let me be clear about this, racism has absolutely no place in society.
"I am deeply concerned about the stories that are surfacing and what it says about British sport. For many years, sectarianism has been a scar on the face of Scottish football and to see anti-South Asian racism exposed in cricket is extremely reminiscent of the same plague.
"We need to remember that these cases are not individual, but in fact part of a larger, systematic culture of racism in our society. To see some individuals try to excuse the use of racial slurs as 'banter' is abhorrent and must not be entertained.
"What I have suggested to the UK Government today is that they enter discussion with the Scottish Government, who have historically worked at tackling sectarianism in football, to cooperate on a strategy to end this horrific culture in British cricket and, indeed, sport as a whole institution."
