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The Essex County Cricket Club issued an independent report to confirm that several players who played for the English club were subject to racial discrimination. An independent investigation led by Katharine Newton KC was commissioned in November 2021 after the resignation of then-Chairman John Faragher, who was accused of using the racist phrase during a board meeting in 2017. Essex released a detailed report on Friday upholding accusations and complaints of three former players.
Though the report names no players, the allegations referenced, it were made by Jahid Ahmed, Maurice Chambers, and Zoheb Sharif. The complaints were made from the mid-1990s to 2013, with the report concluding that the club culture was one in which ethnic, racial, and religious comments were regarded as "banter". The report concluded, "Those at the receiving end of this treatment were too scared to speak up for fear of damaging their prospects of selection and progression.”
The Essex County Cricket Club Chair, Anu Mohindru KC, said in an official statement: “It is evident from Ms Newton’s findings that there have been some fundamental errors in the past, which don’t reflect the Essex of today. Significant progress has been made across the Club to build a workplace that values and respects every individual, regardless of their background, identity, and beliefs. This extends to the fantastic community work being carried out across the region and we understand our responsibility to our local communities as the county club who represents them.”
One of the allegations made was that one player was nicknamed ‘Bomber’ due to his South Asian heritage while another was taunted as ‘monkey’ with bananas for being black.
