Hamza Tahir: Scotland cricketer retires after alleged racial discrimination – ‘I wouldn’t want my kids playing this sport’

Scotland cricketer Hamza Tahir has retired from international duty, claiming he was the victim of racial discrimination.

The 28-year-old, who was capped 49 times, is now pursuing a racial discrimination and unfair dismissal claim after his contract wasn’t renewed earlier this year.

Tahir was speaking at a news conference in Edinburgh where it was also alleged that young players at an unnamed club were segregated based on the colour of their skin.

Those allegations are now being investigated within the new Cricket Scotland disciplinary system which was not in place when the claims were first made in January 2023. Furthermore, in a statement Cricket Scotland insisted the decision over Tahir’s contract was performance-based, adding they are “carrying out an independent investigation into the matters raised”.

The developments come two years after an independent report uncovered institutional racism within Cricket Scotland.

Of the 448 examples of institutional racism revealed in the report, 53 referrals cases were investigated further and from that, five have been progressed to Cricket Scotland’s disciplinary procedures.

‘I don’t want my kids playing this sport’

Speaking to Sky Sports News following his retirement, Tahir said: “I’ve been treated unfairly, I’ve been discriminated against my whole career. I’ve had to work twice, if not three times as hard to be treated as an equal.

“During Covid, for example, we had plenty of time to work on our fitness and I lost five stone during that period and I came back the third fittest in the squad. This was to remove any obstacles put in my place. Before that World Cup we had fitness targets to meet and those people who didn’t meet them still got to play and perform, that’s just one area to show where I’ve been treated unfairly and differently.”

When asked if he believed his contract was not renewed due to racial discrimination, Tahir added: “Yes it was. Unconscious bias and mates looking after mates, that sort of thing as well and a lot of politics in the system. All that adds up together and those are the reasons I’ve retired from professional cricket.

“It stems from the top. It’s institutional and that does filter through, however much you think it doesn’t, it does filter. Even if you think someone is your friend, sometimes they might say something behind your back. Those are the types of situations I’ve come across within the team.”

When asked if he was concerned about the future of cricket in Scotland and the opportunities for other South Asians, he added: “I’ve got cousins who are in the U19 Cricket Scotland set up and I just say to them ‘be careful, try your best always.’ For me, if I have children, I wouldn’t want them to be playing this sport.

“It’s been tough to tell my family. They’re still kids, they haven’t experienced what I’ve experienced. I’m sure, if the system continues the way it is, they will experience that which is a shame.

“We thought as an Asian player things will get better, we won’t have to work twice as hard and we won’t have to be three times as good but it just wasn’t the case. It just seems to get worse.”

‘Cricket Scotland must make fundamental changes’

Paul Reddish, from campaign group Running Out Racism, told Sky Sports News: “The sport is diverse and we’ve got about 40 per cent South Asian participation at the base. So a lot of people ask how can it be racism if we’ve got so many people of South Asian heritage playing the sport. Of course diversity is not the same as inclusion.

“If you’ve got 40 per cent representation at the base, and now we’ve only got one player of South Asian heritage in the [men’s] national team and it starts to dilute as you go through the structures – questions have to be asked of what the experiences of those individuals have been in the sport. So we might be diverse but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s inclusive and we have to address the difference between those two things.

“We shouldn’t be surprised that there are issues of racism still in the sport. There are issues of racism in all aspects of society and other sports. The issue and the challenge for a governing body is what it does when they are confronted with them. We’re not going to eradicate racism or issues of structures and systems that lead to racism overnight. What we can do is prioritise dismantling the things that are causing them and deal with them well when we’re confronted with them. On those two things at the moment the governing body is not doing well, and they’re the things that we’ve got to change.

“I think the key thing here is about acceptance of the issue. We have at the moment, for various reasons, got to a position where no one has wanted to comment. It’s gone on for two years, a narrative is built around this all being exaggerated and false in cricket communities. Cricket Scotland’s allowed that narrative to build and it’s now got to rescue it. That’s the big issue for me is, it’s got to own this issue. It’s got to start explaining to people why we are where we are and it’s got to make the fundamental changes.

“I think that there is a spectrum of people from a very small number that fully accept it and embrace it right the way, through to some people who would rather this just went away and we’d all just get on with playing cricket. I think probably there are more people in that camp [of getting on with the game] than there are in this camp [of embracing change]. The issue is the people that want us to just get on with playing cricket, are the ones that are able to experience cricket without any of these adverse experiences. The thing that we need to be braver about with cricket is accept that a lot of people don’t experience the game in the way that you will or I will. Until that is addressed proactively and head on we can’t just move on.

Lawyer Aamer Anwar, who has been representing some players throughout the process, has called on the national agency for sport – sportscotland – to take action.

He told Sky Sports News: “We are here once again with more serious allegations nearly two years on and sportscotland – that provide the public money that comes from the Scottish government – need to develop a spine.

“Don’t find excuses not to deal with it change the organisation and say we will deal with it all.”

‘We have learned lessons’

In a statement to Sky Sports News, Forbes Dunlop, CEO sportscotland said: “From the outset this was always going to be a difficult time for those connected with the sport. It is timely to remind ourselves why the review, which resulted in the Changing the Boundaries report, was launched in the first instance.

“Cricket Scotland reached out to sportscotland in 2021 to ask for help establishing an independent review into racism in Scottish cricket in response to multiple people sharing experiences of racism in public and in private. sportscotland then appointed Plan 4 Sport.

“In addition to giving contributors a safe and anonymous place to have their voices heard, the review also looked at existing Cricket Scotland policies and procedures against equality, diversity and inclusion best practice to ensure lessons were learned and change was delivered.

“Cricket Scotland has made progress and sportscotland has learned lessons from this process and for sport more broadly. As a result, we have ensured additional support for Scottish Governing Bodies has been put in place to strengthen policies and procedures around discrimination in all forms.

“There is no doubt that people have had some terrible experiences. However, we all agree that sport should be about positive experiences and there is no place for racism. Those who care about cricket should now come together and create a future that is welcoming and inclusive for all and sportscotland will work with all parties and play our role in that.”

‘We cannot undo historical failings’

Cricket Scotland said its board “has the utmost sympathy for anyone who has experienced discrimination whilst involved in our sport” and in a statement added: “Cricket Scotland is a small governing body that has endured a tremendous strain on its resources while handling the very serious allegations brought forward by the Changing the Boundaries report and the subsequent independent investigative process.

“This process was agreed and created with the involvement of multiple stakeholders, including Running Out Racism, and with ultimate oversight from sportscotland. The process is now concluded, and the new board and leadership team of Cricket Scotland is committed to implementing the many recommendations given to the governing body.

“It takes any and all accusations extremely seriously.”

Wilf Walsh, chair of Cricket Scotland, said: “It is clear that as part of our Cricket Scotland strategy and vision, culture must be at the heart of our sport’s redemptive and unifying journey.

“I share the frustrations of those who feel that the independent investigation’s findings do not provide adequate closure after more than two years. I repeat that this has been an unedifying episode from which there are no winners.

“We cannot simply undo historical failings, but we can ensure the future of our sport is drastically improved by our actions moving forward.”

Trudy Lindblade, Cricket Scotland CEO, said: “I sympathise with those who harbour a feeling of injustice, and we will continue to engage respectfully throughout the mediation process.

“The only viable route to common ground is through independent mediation in order to achieve reconciliation. Only then can we speak openly and work together to provide an inclusive sport that we can all be proud of.

“We can only do this with a collective will to make positive change and to separate the quest for personal justice – either as report complainants or respondents – and the essential need to move forward together to ensure a sustainable future for cricket in Scotland.

“There is a huge opportunity to create a fantastic long-term future for our game, but this requires reflection, understanding, hard work and it will take time.

“Ongoing instability and recrimination, played out in front of the media, will only cause further damage to relationships and reputations, and deepen the wounds that need to heal.”