Majid Haq: Former Scotland cricketer alleges racial discrimination after removing from umpiring appointment | Cricket Information
Former Scotland cricketer Majid Haq claims he has been racially discriminated in opposition to after his removing from a global umpiring appointment.
Haq additionally claims to have been the sufferer of harassment and victimisation because of the color of his pores and skin.
It follows a call made by the Cricket Scotland Match Officers Affiliation (CSMOA) to take away him from his duties as an umpire for Scotland’s fixture in opposition to Nepal earlier this month.
Haq has lodged an official criticism by way of his consultant to the CSMOA and Cricket Scotland following the choice. Sky Sports activities Information has seen the correspondence.
Cricket Scotland says it was an operational resolution by the CSMOA, who’re a separate entity, and that Haq’s criticism might be assessed.
Haq was because of be the primary Scottish-born South Asian to officiate a global fixture within the nation, as Scotland A took on Nepal.
Nonetheless, within the lead-up to the match, the CSMOA determined to exchange him for a lot of causes Haq believes reveal he’s being handled otherwise because of his background.
Haq revealed to Sky Sports activities Information in 2021 that he had suffered racial abuse as a participant, and that resulted in an impartial overview, which discovered that Cricket Scotland’s governance and management practices have been institutionally racist.
In 2021, Majid Haq (L) spoke out about his experiences of racism as a participant
An electronic mail seen by Sky Sports activities Information reveals the explanations supplied to Haq embrace his failure to buy the required equipment, non-payment of membership charges and failure to attend a web based pre-match assembly.
Nonetheless, the previous Scotland participant insists he had already been given the required equipment by a fellow umpire and was in possession of it forward of the match. In the meantime, {a photograph} from later that week seems to point out different umpires officiating whereas sporting the improper equipment.
Haq additionally claims he was given lower than 24 hours discover to attend the assembly, and when notifying the CSMOA that he couldn’t dial into the decision because of a tennis match at the moment, he was faraway from the fixture.
Nonetheless, it’s claimed there was one other umpire who was concerned within the sequence that was allowed to make different plans after being unavailable for a similar assembly. He additionally says he had paid his membership charges prematurely of the match, when it was raised as a difficulty that would cease him officiating.
Cricket Scotland helps the CSMOA in some areas, however the organisations are separate entities and Cricket Scotland insists it didn’t make the choice about Haq’s removing from the fixture.
A Cricket Scotland spokesperson instructed Sky Sports activities Information: “We have now acquired a criticism on behalf of Majid Haq.
“As per Cricket Scotland’s complaints coverage and course of, the criticism might be assessed and a willpower made on what the following steps are.”
The CSMOA declined to remark when approached by Sky Sports activities Information.
Haq made 75 appearances for Scotland between 2006 and 2015
In a press release to Sky Sports activities Information, Haq stated: “I hoped the impartial overview that unearthed examples of racism inside cricket in Scotland would act as a watershed second for the game.
“Nonetheless, I’m now being victimised in my position as an umpire, identical to I used to be discriminated in opposition to when enjoying for my nation.
“The incident that noticed me taken off duties to umpire a global fixture for the primary time has been deeply upsetting.
“If one other umpire have been in my place, they’d not have been handled this manner.
“It hurts that in 2025, I nonetheless discover myself being discriminated in opposition to. All I wish to do is assist the game that I like.”