Cricket Scotland are under scrutiny again after a new report highlighted serious concerns about the governing body’s culture and attitudes towards women.
It follows a damning review, published in 2022, which found the organisation to be institutionally racist.
The latest assessment – conducted by McKinney HR and commissioned by Cricket Scotland – has dealt another serious blow to the governing body.
It concluded that women have been ‘treated differently from their male counterparts’ and that ‘specific needs of women are often dismissed or not considered’. This, it said, pointed to a ‘sustained inequality throughout cricket in Scotland’.
It also found that sexism was ‘very much in evidence’ within the sport in Scotland, stating that ‘antiquated attitudes and behaviour towards women in the game are still prevalent, particularly at club level’.
Recently-appointed Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade (pictured) was scathing of what was uncovered. She issued a statement that said, in part: ‘It is evident that Cricket Scotland allowed behaviours to take place that were disrespectful, demeaning and deeply concerning, and that these were allowed to continue for a significant period’
Additionally, there was a ‘high degree of prejudice and discrimination towards both female staff and players, with ‘many examples of disrespect in the use of inappropriate language and behaviour directed towards women’.
Recently-appointed Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade was scathing of what was uncovered.
‘This report is a damning indictment of the treatment of female players and staff within our organisation,’ she said in a statement. ‘It is evident that Cricket Scotland allowed behaviours to take place that were disrespectful, demeaning and deeply concerning, and that these were allowed to continue for a significant period.
‘This is completely unacceptable, and I wholeheartedly apologise to every single person who was affected and let down by the governing body.
‘This report also highlights the huge amount of work that we need to do throughout cricket in Scotland to improve the standing of women and girls within our sport.
‘We are committed to making the governing body and our sport welcoming and safe for all women and girls, and together with our regional associations and clubs we will work collectively to ensure there is no place for misogyny, sexism, or discrimination of any kind within our sport. Our new strategy, which is to be released shortly, will put the health and growth of women and girls’ cricket at its forefront.
‘Several of the recommendations from the McKinney Report are already under way, but there is still a significant amount of work to be done by Cricket Scotland, our regions, and our clubs to affect the change that is needed.
‘Cricket Scotland now has a robust disciplinary and complaints process in place, and I would strongly urge anyone who has been affected by the findings of the report and who feels they need to raise a complaint to use this process. These recently established processes demonstrate that Cricket Scotland is capable of handling matters in a transparent and considered manner.’
The 35-page report analysed behaviours, cultures and practices within Cricket Scotland, both prior to the publication of the Changing the Boundaries report in 2022, and in the two years since. It covered culture and inclusion, leadership, general behaviours, employment practices and wellbeing, psychological safety and sexism and misogyny.
Forty-five people were contacted to take part, with 24 taking up the offer to provide feedback. This included current staff and players from Cricket Scotland, as well as former employees. When asked about behaviours that existed prior to 2022, one respondent described the culture as ‘toxic’, while another indicated that ‘damage from that era is significant and long lasting.’ The respondent added:: I’m emotional just thinking about it’.
The latest assessment concluded that women have been ‘treated differently from their male counterparts’ and that ‘specific needs of women are often dismissed or not considered’. This, it said, pointed to a ‘sustained inequality throughout cricket in Scotland’ (stock photo)
Mail Sport highlighted these issues in an exclusive report in 2022, having spoken to several whistleblowers.
One former employee told us her experience in the organisation had been so damaging it had led her to contemplate suicide. Another told Mail Sport that working at Cricket Scotland had been the ‘worst experience of her life’ and she revealed that she had felt ‘constantly undermined’ and ‘chipped away at’ while living in a culture of fear.
The McKinney report recognised there was a period before the Changing the Boundaries report when individuals in senior leadership positions were outwardly discriminatory towards women and displayed bullying characteristics.
Crucially, however, the current climate does not escape criticism.
Some have noted a ‘lack of staff, with people overworked’, while the majority of respondents scored the culture as ‘poor or unsatisfactory’. A lack of diversity, specifically around gender, was also highlighted at leadership level – as was the investment and sponsorship put into the men’s game, which has led to a ‘feeling of inequality among the female players’.
Nine recommendations have now been developed from the report, with the emphasis on general behaviours, sexism and misogyny.
