Cricket Scotland chair Anjan Luthra resigns after criticism of organisation’s handling of racism | Cricket News
Cricket Scotland chair Anjan Luthra has resigned after less than six months in the role.
A statement released by Cricket Scotland on Friday said: “Anjan Luthra has resigned as chair with immediate effect. The organisation thanks Anjan for his hard work and input during his time as chair.
“Cricket Scotland will make no further comment at this stage.”
Luthra was appointed in October, tasked with rebuilding the organisation’s reputation after it was found to be institutionally racist by an independent review released last July.
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Running out Racism’s Raza Sadiq explains why he was one of four members to resign from Cricket Scotland’s anti-racism and EDI advisory group
Cricket Scotland has again come under scrutiny after four members of their newly-formed anti-racism and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) advisory group resigned earlier this week due to the organisation’s handling of tackling racism.
Luthra had given a six-month update last week saying that progress had been made by the governing body, with those comments criticised by anti-racism group Running Out Racism.
They labelled Luthra’s claims as “unsubstantiated nonsense” and said the update from Cricket Scotland was “tone deaf” and “arrogant”.
Sadiq: Cricket Scotland failed us
Scotland international Abtaha Maqsood, Running Out Racism’s Raza Sadiq, businessman Imran Khan and academic Khadija Mohammed were those to step down from their positions on the anti-racism and EDI advisory group.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, Raza Sadiq spoke of what influenced his decision to resign. “We don’t want cricket to fail. That’s why we were very keen [to be involved in the process],” Sadiq said. “They failed us.
“Cricket Scotland was expecting us to align with their rhetoric, rather than us critically question their action plan.
“The six-month review was basically the final straw for me to resign – because it was not based on the facts.”
He added: “Once an institution has been declared as institutionally racist, you’ve got a clean slate to start with.
“They’ve failed in understanding how the racism manifested. They were not looking for genuine engagement.
“For that reason – if they’re not learning, not listening – then they’re not fit for purpose.”
Last July, Sky Sports News revealed a damning review found that Cricket Scotland failed on almost all tests of institutional racism.
The full Cricket Scotland board stepped down prior to the publication of the independent report that found 448 instances of racism in the sport.
