ECB lacked ‘backbone’ for failing to call out England legend and Durham chairman Ian Botham after he dismissed anti-racism report as ‘nonsense’

The ECB have been criticised by the author of an anti-racism report for lacking the ‘moral backbone’ to call out Lord Botham, who described its contents as ‘nonsense.’ 

The former England all-rounder, who is now chairman of Durham, claimed last year that he was not asked to contribute to the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket [ICEC], who published a 300-page report last June which found cricket to be riddled with racism, sexism and class-based discrimination.

Speaking to MPs on the Culture, Media and Sport select committee on Tuesday ICEC chair Cindi Butts expressed ‘disappointment’ with the ECB for not distancing themselves from Botham’s comments, which she went on to comprehensively refute by revealing that he had been asked to give evidence.

‘I was disappointed the ECB didn’t call out Lord Botham,’ Butts said. ‘As chair of a first-class county, his words carry weight. The ECB didn’t see fit to come out and actually say, ‘This is wrong’. I think that not only did they stay quiet, they resisted calls from stakeholders and people who were concerned about Lord Botham’s comments and they chose to stay silent. They should have had a moral backbone on this issue.

‘We did invite Lord Botham to give evidence to us. He didn’t respond. The county which he chairs, Durham, contributed to our call for written evidence and we thank them for that.

ECB chairman Richard Thompson called Botham to challenge him about his criticism

‘He [Botham] said he didn’t know anybody who had contributed to our report when, in fact, a number of well-known named cricketers such as Heather Knight, the England women’s captain, responded and gave evidence to us. So there are a number of untruths that he spoke about the report.’

ECB chairman Richard Thompson responded by revealing that he called Botham as soon as his comments made on Simon Jordan’s Up Front podcast were reported last summer to say that that he disagreed with him and to offer more details on ICEC’S findings.

‘I rang Lord Botham immediately,’ Thompson said. ‘I don’t agree with what he said, but he is entitled to his views. Durham are, however, doing some very good things with increasing diversity and participation and access to the sport in their region.’