Tag: Independent Review

Changing The Boundaries report: Scottish Cricket ‘institutionally racist’

Plan4Sport, the organisation leading an independent review into racism in Scottish cricket, has today (Monday 25 July) published its final report.

Global Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) experts, Plan4Sport, were commissioned by Scotland’s national agency for sport, sportscotland, to lead the independent review in December 2021. The review process included almost 1,000 direct engagements from a broad cross-section of all levels of Scottish cricket.

The Plan4Sport Changing The Boundaries report found the governance and leadership practices of Cricket Scotland to be institutionally racist. It confirms 448 examples that demonstrated institutional racism. Reoccurring themes were mapped against 31 indicators of institutional racism, with 29 failing to meet the standard required and only two partially meeting the standard.

As part of the review 68 individual concerns have been referred for further investigation. These relate to 31 allegations of racism against 15 different people, two clubs and one Regional Association. In some instances, multiple concerns have been raised against individuals. Some of these alleged incidents are recent while others were non-recent. These investigations will be concluded in due course.

Other key findings include:

  • 62% of all survey respondents had experienced, seen, or had reported to them incidents of racism, inequalities or discrimination.
  • A lack of any EDI or anti-racist training in place for board, staff, volunteers, players, coaches or umpires.
  • No consistent mechanism or process for handling racist incidents and people who did raise issues were sidelined or ignored.
  • A lack of diversity from board level and Hall of Fame right through the coaching workforce within the talent pathway.
  • Lack of transparency in the selection process in the talent pathway and the absence of a single uniform approach to selection.

Changing The Boundaries includes three immediate high-level recommendations, with associated sub recommendations, including: 

  • Cricket Scotland is placed in special measures by sportscotland until at least October 2023.
    • Cricket Scotland to commence an immediate recruitment process for new independent Board members, with appointments made no later than 30 September 2022.
    • The diversity of Board members should be a minimum of 40% men and 40% women, ensuring that a minimum of 25% of the total Board makeup come from of Black, South-East Asian, or other mixed or multiple ethnic groups.
    • Action Plan to be developed by Cricket Scotland which addresses the immediate actions and short-term KPIs. The Action Plan should be approved by sportscotland not later than 30 September 2022.
  • Western District Cricket Union (WDCU) is placed in special measures by Cricket Scotland with immediate effect.
    • Temporary and immediate suspension of WDCU’s role in managing all disciplinary matters relating to its competitions and clubs. These are to be handed to an alternative organisation to manage.
    • An urgent, independent review into the overall effectiveness of WDCU’s governance, and its culture of inclusion, as a Regional Association of Cricket Scotland, to be completed by the end of September. This does not include the Western District Junior Cricket Union.
  • Cricket Scotland addresses the backlog in referrals generated from the review.
    • All investigations resulting from referrals to be expedited by a third party with the appropriate expertise.

Managing Director of Plan4Sport, Louise Tideswell, said: “We’ve been working on the review since January this year and our view is clear: the governance and leadership practices of Cricket Scotland have been institutionally racist. 

“Over the review period we have seen the bravery of so many people coming forward to share their stories which had clearly impacted on their lives. People who have loved cricket and, despite the many knockbacks, continued to try and make progress, umpires who committed so many hours even though promotion never came, and players who saw or heard racism and hostility, but kept coming back to play.

“The reality is that the leadership of the organisation failed to see the problems and, in failing to do so, enabled a culture of racially aggravated micro-aggressions to develop. It didn’t address the lack of diversity at board and staff level and missed the need to develop transparent reporting, investigation and case management processes to address incidents of racism and discrimination.

“But I also want to add that whilst the governance and leadership practices of the organisation have been institutionally racist, the same should not be said for cricket in Scotland. There are many outstanding clubs and individuals delivering local programmes which truly engage with diverse communities.

“We have heard from grassroots players, volunteers and umpires who were passionate about ensuring cricket was open and welcoming to everyone. Plan4Sport sees this as a real opportunity to invest in and build on the good work already taking place through development programmes and club opportunities to truly create a game for everyone.”

Chief Executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, said: “We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the review, particularly those who came forward to share their experiences.

“This will have been a very difficult, and in some cases traumatic experience, and we hope this report provides the victims with some degree of assurance that their voices have been heard and that action will be taken.

“We also want to thank Louise Tideswell and the team of experts from Plan4Sport, who have worked tirelessly over the past seven months. They have shown an incredible degree of professionalism, compassion and empathy when speaking to the hundreds of people who contributed to the Changing The Boundaries report.

“The findings in this report are deeply concerning and in some cases shocking. Sport should be a welcoming place for all and it is unacceptable that anyone has suffered racist abuse and discrimination while playing the game they love.

“As the national agency for sport, we will work with and support Cricket Scotland to help change the culture of Scottish cricket and that must now be the focus. There has been some progress in recent months but we need to see more steps being taken to address the issues raised and importantly that includes the referrals.  

“We will keep all options on the table as we hold Cricket Scotland to account on all of the recommendations contained within this report.  

“Today should also act as a wake-up call for all of Scottish sport. Racism is a societal problem and it is no longer good enough to simply be non-racist, Scottish sport must now be actively anti-racist.”

Publication of Changing The Boundaries follows an in-depth consultation exercise involving hundreds of people from across all levels of Scottish cricket including grassroots players, staff, national squad players, board members, coaches, regional association management committee members and match officials and club members.

Responding to the Plan4Sport report into institutional racism in Cricket Scotland, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “I am greatly saddened by the institutional racism within Cricket Scotland that has been uncovered by the Plan4Sport report.

“The extent of the racial and religious discrimination, and the seemingly casual disregard for any notion of good equalities practices within Cricket Scotland, are truly shocking.

“I echo the concerns voiced by the lawyer acting for Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh this week that the resignation of the entire Cricket Scotland board leaves nobody to account for such a damning indictment of the practices of a national sporting body, but meaningful action to clean up Scottish cricket is what will now matter most to players, staff and fans alike.

“Several incidents highlighted in the report remain open to police investigation and it is right that this happens to find if the law has been broken. What is clear from the report however is how many incidents fell short of illegality but were nonetheless motivated by racial animus. This pernicious underlying racism is a problem across society and must be rooted out wherever it is found.

“Lessons need to be learned. Asian players make a massive contribution to Scottish cricket and they should be welcomed at all levels of the game. I would be happy to facilitate constructive discussions that need to happen to progress the future of our beloved sport here in Scotland.

“We must ensure that remedies are promptly and effectively applied in the wake of this shameful episode. Cricket Scotland must clearly be overhauled, and Sportscotland have started this process. But it is now up to the whole of Scottish civil society to ensure that this is not only followed through in a way that makes a tangible change to people within the sport, but also that the warning signs from Cricket Scotland can be recognised and swiftly dealt in future.

“Together we must ensure that the environment that has been allowed to fester in Cricket Scotland is not present in any of our other national sporting bodies, and ensure that such grotesque failures as these are never again allowed to happen within Scottish sport.”

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Changing The Boundaries: Independent review into racism in Scottish cricket

New incinerators ban welcomed

The Circular Economy Minister has set out the action that will be taken to deliver on the recommendations of an independent review of the role of incineration.

In a Ministerial Statement to parliament, she confirmed that the Scottish Government has accepted all twelve recommendations, including Dr Church’s recommendation that no further planning permission for incineration facilities should be granted.

New national planning policy will be introduced through National Planning Framework 4, which will be presented to the Scottish Parliament for approval later this year. This policy will make clear that the Scottish Government does not support the development of further municipal waste incineration capacity in Scotland, with very limited exceptions.

In the meantime, a notification direction will remain in place, requiring local authorities to alert Scottish Ministers of new planning applications that involve incineration facilities. A similar notification direction was used previously, and successfully, to give the effect of a moratorium on Unconventional Oil and Gas.

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “Reducing waste and recycling what we do produce is key to tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity and ensuring we all enjoy a healthy environment. That’s why we are taking action to create a circular economy, in which materials are kept in use for as long as possible and precious natural resources are not wasted.

“We also need to make sure we manage unavoidable and unrecyclable waste in the short term. By putting in place sensible measures to limit and gradually reduce Scotland’s incineration capacity, we can make sure we can manage our waste today, while ensuring our future waste infrastructure aligns with our climate targets.

“I look forward to working with local authorities and industry to take forward these recommendations.”

Environmental campaigners have welcomed the Scottish Government’s commitment to ban new incinerators as an important step forwards and urged Ministers to next tackle the impact of existing incinerators.

Kim Pratt, Friends of the Earth Scotland Circular Economy Campaigner said: “The Scottish Government’s ban on new incinerators is very welcome news and must mark the beginning of the end for these polluting projects that keep us locked into sending valuable resources up in smoke.

“It is vital the Scottish Government acts now to tackle the impact of our existing incinerators, given their huge climate pollution. Reducing the amount of plastic waste burnt is the only viable option for cutting emissions from existing plants. Carbon Capture and Storage is completely unsuitable for incineration as it is technically challenging, extremely expensive and locks us into a polluting system.

“Scotland will have more capacity than there is waste to burn by 2027 because of those plants already in the pipeline. Incinerator investors and operators now have a choice to buy into a circular economy for Scotland or to burn away that future.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland also warned that the approval last week by West Dunbartonshire Council of an application for a waste plastic-to-hydrogen plant, which could be ; “n incinerator in all but name, risks the development escaping the new ban through a loophole.

Kim Pratt concluded: “We are deeply concerned about the approval of a new waste plastic-to-hydrogen plant, which is an incinerator in all but name, by West Dunbartonshire Council.

“The decision, which has come despite the introduction of the ban on new incinerators, undermines the current approach. The Scottish Government must urgently review the boundaries of the ban to ensure it is being applied fully and effectively.”

To find out more read the Friends of the Earth Scotland response to the Incineration Review:

https://foe-scotland.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b5ad0d61b2a67d22c68bf7d8d&id=1faf3d4515&e=195fc3d780

Stop, Sort, Burn, Bury: Incineration review published

An independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland, which recommends a  cap on future incineration capacity, has been welcomed by the Circular Economy Minister.

Friends of the Earth Scotland have also welcomed it’s findings but say a clear exit strategy is still needed.

The report, which was authored by waste sector expert Dr Colin Church, reviews the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy, with a focus on aligning national capacity with Scotland’s waste reduction targets.

The report makes 12 policy recommendations for the Scottish Government, local authorities and the wider waste industry, including:

  • no further planning permission should be granted to incineration infrastructure within the scope of this Review, unless balanced by an equal or greater closure of capacity.
  • developing an indicative cap that declines over time for the amount of residual waste treatment needed as Scotland transitions towards a fully circular economy.
  • to strengthen community engagement and trust before, during and after development.

The Scottish Government will set out its initial response to the Review in June.

Public consultations on a Circular Economy Bill and a Waste Route Map will launch this month.

Dr Colin Church said: “The evidence I received shows that, whilst well-regulated incineration does have a role to play in managing unavoidable residual waste in Scotland, the capacity currently being proposed is likely to be more than needed, so a lot of it should not be built.

“For the proportion that is developed, the level and quality of engagement with local communities needs to be excellent, which unfortunately has not always been the case to date.

“There is also more that must be done to reduce the climate impacts of waste incineration, and I look forward to revisiting my provisional recommendations in this area in due course.”

Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “I would like to thank Dr Church for delivering this work, which will play a pivotal role in shaping Scotland’s future waste policy.

“We want to create a circular economy, where materials stay in use for as long as possible, and nothing is wasted. Only by increasing reuse and recycling can Scotland meet its net zero targets, and we will be publishing ambitious proposals to achieve this soon.

“It is clear from the review that although incineration has a role to play in managing Scotland’s unavoidable, unrecyclable residual waste in a safe way, that role is inevitably limited. As we transition to a circular economy, Scotland will need significantly less incineration capacity than is currently projected and it is vital that we do not have more capacity than we need.

“Dr Church has proposed some valuable recommendations and outlined some important considerations for how we can align the management of residual waste in Scotland with our net zero ambitions. We will consider the recommendations carefully and provide an initial response in June.”

Environmental campaigners have also welcomed the independent report which calls for an immediate ban on new incinerators – but say a clear exit strategy from incineration is still needed.

The report from an independent review has been published today (10 May), and shows the scale of the nation’s incineration problem. The report makes 12 policy recommendations for the Scottish Government, local authorities and wider waste industry.

Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “This report shows that the alarming rise in incineration in Scotland must be stopped immediately – rapid action is needed to prevent the loss of valuable resources and stop the climate-wrecking emissions being caused by burning plastics.

“A ban on new incinerators is the first step in turning Scotland’s waste management system around, but it’s only half of the solution. The report makes it clear that more must be done to minimise waste and recycle as much as possible.

“Our current incinerators are some of Scotland’s biggest polluters so they must be phased out if Scotland is to meet its climate goals. It is concerning that the report does not include a detailed carbon assessment, given the direct threat of incinerators to our climate goals.

“Burning plastic releases more carbon than coal and the only way to cut emissions from incineration for good is to stop burning waste. We need to value resources properly, rather than taking from nature, using once then burning or burying the waste.”

The capacity analysis from the report shows that in five years time (2027) Scotland will have more incineration capacity than there is available waste to burn.

One of the first major actions undertaken by Lorna Slater, Minister for the Circular Economy, was to initiate an independent review of incineration of waste. Scotland now joins Wales, which banned incineration in 2021 and has the third highest recycling rates in the world.

Over 1,000 people supported Friends of the Earth Scotland’s calls for an immediate ban of new incinerators and of plastics being sent to incinerators, and a phase out of those already operating.

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Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football: SFA issues ‘profound apology’

The board of the Scottish FA, having reviewed the final report of the Independent Review of Sexual Abuse in Scottish Football, wishes to reiterate its profound apology to those who have personal experience of sexual abuse in our national game.

Now that the final report has been published, we express our thanks to Martin Henry, the chair of the independent review, and his team, who for the past three years have dedicated themselves to this considerable and unprecedented undertaking.

They have produced a comprehensive review of non-recent sexual abuse in Scottish football, provided recommendations that the game is implementing at all levels to ensure a safer future for young footballers, and, crucially, have given survivors a voice that was previously denied to them.

The personal testimony provided by those survivors is a tribute to their courage and while the final report makes difficult reading it is only by learning lessons from the past that we can we truly commit to the highest standards of wellbeing and protection for young people involved in Scottish football.

Today is a day for reflecting on an incomprehensible period in Scottish football’s history, and for ensuring the collective voice of the survivors is heard.

Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive: “As Chief Executive of the Scottish FA I am deeply upset by the contents of the final report into sexual abuse in Scottish football and, in particular, by the deeply personal, traumatic experiences endured by young players who were abused by people in whom they and their families placed their trust.

“I reiterate my sincerest apology on behalf of Scottish football to all who have experienced abuse in our national game.

“The report also recognises the progress that the Scottish FA and its members have made to achieve the highest standards of wellbeing and protection for children and young people to play our national sport safely today.

“Since the board issued a directive in 2016 we can report that 80% of the original recommendations are either completed or in progress. The work is ongoing, overseen by the Independent Wellbeing and Protection Advisory Board and implemented through our Wellbeing and Protection department: themselves evidence of our commitment to the review and its recommendations.

“As the report also states, football provides a tremendous outlet for young people in Scotland and it is the responsibility of everyone involved in Scottish football to protect and cultivate that for future generations.”

The final report and appendices can be viewed here [https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/media/7516/independent-review-of-sexual-abuse-in-scottish-football-final-report.pdf].

Further information about the Scottish FA’s Wellbeing and Protection strategy can be found at https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish-fa/wellbeing-protection/       

If you would like to speak to someone about your own experiences then you can contact:

Police Scotland on 101

NSPCC Helpline for people abused in football: 0800 023 2642

Scottish FA – childrenswellbeing@scottishfa.co.uk

Further information on support services can be found at:

 www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish-fa/wellbeing-protection/adult-survivors-of-abuse/ 

Children 1st Chief Executive, Mary Glasgow.

In response to the publication of the Final Independent Report into non-recent sexual abuse in Scottish football, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive Children 1st, which runs Safeguarding in Sport in partnership with sportscotland, said:

“The personal testimony of the men and boys in the report, who have shown incredible courage, demonstrates how needed this independent review has been. The abuse that young players have suffered in football is inexcusable and heart-breaking. By bravely speaking up they provided the catalyst for the review, and the changes that will come from it are thanks to them. We welcome the ongoing work the Scottish FA has carried out in light of the report’s recommendations and encourage them to continue their progress.

“The Scottish FA are showing that they are willing to listen and implement changes that ensure no more children suffer the experiences described in the report. We are pleased to see children and young people’s involvement in the process, such as the consultation with the Scottish Children’s Parliament.

“The voices of children and young people are crucial to developing improvements for their own wellbeing and safety, and also to change a culture where children can be frightened to speak up. Safeguarding in Sport, a partnership between Children 1st and sportscotland, has developed the Standards for Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport, which state that children have a right to express their views and have their voice taken into account.

“We are keen to support the Scottish FA in their continued implementation of the recommendations, to create a culture in football where we can be sure that every child is safe to enjoy the huge benefits of participating in sport.

“Any volunteer or official looking for advice or support about a child can contact safeguardinginsport@children1st.org.uk, and our Children 1st Parentline service is here to support every family in Scotland on 08000 28 22 33 or online at https://www.children1st.org.uk/parentline”