London, June 13: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has admitted that cricket is "not immune" to racism and thus have pledged to change things for the better in the near future.
Many cricketers across the global sports community, including former England cricketer Michael Carberry and current pacer James Anderson, have come out in open and talked about racism prevalent in the sport. All these voices have been growing following the killing of George Floyd, an African-American who died in police custody in the United States last month.
"We have listened carefully to those who have spoken out in recent weeks about their experiences of being black in cricket, sport and society. We admire them for being vocal on this crucial topic. We know that systemic racism spans institutions and sectors across the country and we know that our sport is not immune," ECB said in a media statement.
"We truly believe that cricket is a game for everyone but understand that sadly, barriers to its enjoyment exist for many communities. We have made progress in bringing cricket to more and more people around the country and it is our resolve to break down barriers and reform our structures everywhere across the game."
The board further said that they will engage "community leaders and black influencers within cricket" to evolve their "existing inclusion and diversity work and specifically address the issues raised by the black community".
"It's so important that we continue to listen to the voices of those who have spoken out." read the release. "We must educate ourselves, face uncomfortable truths, in order to create action internally and throughout the game to ensure long-term change."
"From there, it is our overall desire to create demonstrable action, in order to deliver meaningful and long-term change that permeates every layer of the game," it added.