Legal threat over Cricket Scotland racism allegation

A Scotland world cricketer has threatened ineligible action against nan sport’s governing assemblage aft claiming he was nan unfortunate of group discrimination.

Hamza Tahir, who was capped 49 times, claims he was unfairly dismissed and has announced his status from world cricket astatine nan property of 28.

The bowler was speaking astatine a news convention wherever different erstwhile players and campaigners criticised Cricket Scotland’s handling of allegations of racism wrong nan sport.

The organisation has repeated its apology to anyone who was nan unfortunate of racism and says 5 cases are going done a disciplinary process.

Mr Tahir claimed his world playing profession had been held backmost by prejudice but that he had now decided "enough is enough".

He said he had lodged a grievance and was prepared to prosecute an unfair dismissal lawsuit aft his statement was not renewed earlier this year.

As a southbound Asian cricketer, he said he had to "work doubly arsenic difficult to beryllium connected nan aforesaid level arsenic others, to get he aforesaid opportunities arsenic others connected large stages, being treated otherwise pinch galore obstacles being put successful my place".

In a statement, Cricket Scotland thanked Mr Tahir for being a "tremendous servant to nan Scotland men's nationalist team" but said nan statement determination was taken connected grounds of performance.

A 2nd erstwhile Scotland cricketer, Majid Haq, besides said astatine nan news conference.

He criticised nan governing assemblage for urging mediation alternatively than taking disciplinary action successful consequence to complaints.

"The victims tin only move connected erstwhile group person been held to account," he said.

"Moving connected suggests forgetting astir what has happened but you can't conscionable forget"

Lawyer Aamer Anwar, representing nan cricketers, accused nan sport's governing assemblage of utilizing "lack of jurisdiction" arsenic an excuse of failing to return action.

He said location was a "toxic civilization of denial" and deficiency of support for group who made complaints, which was driving group distant from nan sport.

"You get to nan constituent wherever you deliberation there's nary constituent successful carrying on, and you time off and they get their extremity result," he said.

"They get their all-white squad practically, they get their racially-segregated team."

Two years ago, complaints by Majid Haq and different erstwhile Scotland subordinate Qasim Sheikh prompted an independent reappraisal which recovered that nan governance and activity of cricket successful Scotland was institutionally racist.

The Changing nan Boundaries report, carried retired by a consultancy for nationalist sports agency SportScotland, listed 448 examples of racism and discrimination.

A time up of nan report's publication, nan entire committee of Cricket Scotland resigned.

However, nan cricketing organization successful Scotland remains profoundly divided complete nan issue.

A erstwhile president of Cricket Scotland, Tony Brian, has denied nan organization racism uncovering and questioned nan robustness of nan review.

Claims by Cricket Scotland of bully advancement successful consequence to nan racism study person besides been criticised by immoderate anti-racism campaigners.

Following nan Changing nan Boundaries report, Cricket Scotland said it was looking into 43 allegations of racism, but only 5 person progressed to disciplinary procedures.

Earlier this month, erstwhile Scotland world cricketer John Blain claimed he had been told successful January he had been cleared of racism but was was still waiting for nan uncovering to beryllium published.

He criticised nan delay, claiming his life had been put "on hold" and accused Cricket Scotland of "running scared".

In a statement, Cricket Scotland said it had utmost sympathy for anyone who had knowledgeable favoritism successful cricket.

It said it had consulted pinch galore partners - including anti-racism campaigners - successful drafting up its caller grievance and investigation process.

Chief Executive Trudy Lindblade said: "I sympathise pinch those who harbour a emotion of injustice, and we will proceed to prosecute respectfully passim nan mediation process.

"The only viable way to communal crushed is done independent mediation successful bid to execute reconciliation.

"Only past tin we speak openly and activity together to supply an inclusive athletics that we tin each beryllium proud of."

She added: "Ongoing instability and recrimination, played retired successful beforehand of nan media, will only origin further harm to relationships and reputations, and deepen nan wounds that request to heal."