Essex have avoided a points penalty after admitting systemic use of racist language and conduct, but have been fined £100,000 by the Cricket Discipline Commission.
The CDC has announced that, in response to charges of racism in between 2001 and 2010, the club will be cautioned, reprimanded and fined. Essex admitted the offense after the charge was brought in June of this year following an investigation by the Cricket Regulator. The Cricket Regulator is the body responsible for monitoring compliance with the rules of the sport in England and Wales, and operates independently from the rest of the ECB.
The charge Essex admitted to was a breach of Directive 3.3, which is "in relation to the systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language and/or conduct". Half of the £100,000 fine will be suspended for two years. The full decision is available to read here.
In particular, the decision notes that Yorkshire CCC's points penalties for a case relating to historical racism at the club where handed down because of the club's mishandling of an initial report into allegations, rather than due to the systemic racist actions themselves.
In response to the decision, the interim director of the Cricket Regulator, Dave Lewis, said: "The racism experienced at Essex County Cricket Club over a period of many years was abhorrent, and the evidence of those subjected to abuse was deeply disturbing. They have shown real bravery in speaking out, and I hope that this prosecution will help ensure that no one suffers again as they did, and that racism of this kind is never normalised.
"The sanctions announced against the club today by a panel of the independent Cricket Discipline Commission come at the end of a long and complex investigation by the Cricket Regulator and follow the club’s own investigation which resulted in it sanctioning several individuals. The CDC panel took into account the fact that Essex had pleaded guilty to the charge and has already taken significant action to address these issues and become a more inclusive club."
In 2021, an independent report was commissioned by Essex after allegations of racism were made by former players, Jahid Ahmed, Zoheb Sharif and Maurice Chambers. The report, which was published in December 2023, found that referring to players' racial and religious backgrounds was "entirely normalised and tolerated" within the Essex dressing room between the 1990s and until the 2010s. The report referred to players using racist language as "banter".
Richard Gould, CEO of the ECB said in response to the CDC's decision: "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 normalised. It is vital that as a sport we listen and learn from their experiences, and ensure that no one suffers like that again.
"I welcome the action Essex has taken in recent years to address these issues and become a more inclusive club, and the commitment it has shown to make further progress.
"Over the past year, the whole game has responded positively to the action plan we set out in response to the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket, and we will shortly update on the progress which has been made. We recognise there is still significant work to be done, and are determined to tackle discrimination wherever it exists and break down barriers to ensure that cricket becomes the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales."
