Cricket Scotland chief Anjan Luthra quits after row over tackling racism

The chairman of Cricket Scotland has stepped down after less than six months in the job as a row continues over efforts to tackle racism in the sport.

Anjan Luthra had promised to clean up the problem when he took up the role, after a report said governance in the sport was institutionally racist.

Mr Luthra said earlier this month that "significant progress" had been made.

But anti-racism organisation Running out Racism said this was tone deaf and "unsubstantiated nonsense".

Four members of an anti-racism working group then resigned, saying there had been a lack of progress.

Announcing his own resignation, Mr Luthra said he "fundamentally disagreed" with the way SportScotland was operating Scottish cricket.

• Resignations at Cricket Scotland anti-racism group

• Cricket Scotland criticised over 'progress' claims

He said he believed that the priority of the national agency for sport in Scotland was "to meet the demands of a lobby group and a handful of individuals associated with them - even if that means the wider sport and community will be negatively impacted".

Mr Luthra said his mission had been to "rebuild the sport for all stakeholders" when it became clear the findings from the Changing the Boundaries report "were not the only issues" at Cricket Scotland.

He said it would have been "negligent" to ignore these other issues.

Mr Luthra said that in the last six months Cricket Scotland had been saved from potential insolvency.

He claimed that SportScotland and "the lobby group" had little desire to rebuild and improve Cricket Scotland - and that he was "not prepared to stand by this".

He said the organisation would "likely cease to exist" if all its resources were dedicated to tackling the findings of the Changing the Boundaries report.

Speaking to BBC Scotland, he added: "I actually felt I was in prison for the last couple of months.

"I feel like there is a huge weight off my shoulders now."

Mr Luthra took over as chairman of Cricket Scotland in October 2022

Running out Racism said it was "disappointed" Mr Luthra had felt the need to resign, but that attempts to convince him to change his approach had "fallen on deaf ears".

"People make mistakes, but to blame others rather than owning them in any way is disappointing," said the group.

It said his failure to acknowledge the "significant lack of progress made" or this week's resignations showed that he "probably isn't the right person to lead our sport going forward".

Asked by BBC Scotland's Lunchtime Live programme if the lobby group Mr Luthra was referring to was Running out Racism, Paul Reddish from the organisation said: "I think in part he is, yes."

Mr Reddish said the chairman's resignation was "another setback for the sport".

But he said it was clear since Mr Luthra's statement last week that views had become more "entrenched" and relationships "had broken down somewhat" after several months of constructive discussions.

The resignation of Anjan Luthra leaves Cricket Scotland and funding body SportScotland in a very difficult place.

When he was announced as the new chair last year, he was hailed as the bright young businessman, with an understanding of the game and the desire to clean up the problems highlighted by the report into racism.

But his business-like approach to a membership organisation could be the key to what ultimately led to his downfall. The new chairman saw an organisation in desperate need of change, in terms of the racism issue and beyond.

But some of those who highlighted the racism issues wanted more focus on the recommendations that came from the report that painted such a damning picture of the problems.

They disagreed with the chairman's assessment that significant progress was being made and what followed was a situation where neither side would give way. He wanted to do things his way but others wanted a different approach.

SportScotland appointed Anjan Luthra and can't escape criticism for what has transpired. They are now fighting desperately to shore up an organisation that's been thrashing around from one crisis to the next for the past year. The government will want answers as to why.

They will also want assurances that this latest episode won't damage the fight against racism in Scottish cricket. In the continuing hail of claim, counter-claim, finger-pointing and accusation, it's difficult to see how they'll manage to give any comfort on that.

SportScotland said it was "fully committed to helping rebuild Scottish cricket".

A spokesperson acknowledged that it had been "an exceptionally challenging time" and thanked Mr Luthra for his contribution. It said it would take "immediate steps to provide additional leadership and governance support to Cricket Scotland".

Cricket Scotland thanked Mr Luthra for his "hard work and input" and said it would not respond to the "personal opinions" which had been expressed.

It said SportScotland was helping put in place short-term measures such as the appointment of an interim chief executive.

"The cricket season is less than four weeks away and there is much to be done, and the team remain fully focused on delivery in all areas," it said.

National cricket has been in crisis in Scotland since the independent report on racism, published in July 2022, was highly critical of the governance of the organisation.

Former player Majid Haq, who was among those to raise concerns, has also been critical over progress

An anti-racism working group was formed at the end of last year following the publication of the report, which found 448 instances of racism in the sport.

In a six-month update, Mr Luthra said progress was being made and that he expected special measures imposed by funding body SportScotland would be lifted.

He said Cricket Scotland would deliver the recommendations "to a high standard and beyond".

However, Running Out Racism contested his claims that the organisation had significantly improved its approach to equality, diversion and inclusion.

Four members resigned from the working group on 27 March - Scotland women's international Abtaha Maqsood; businessman Imran Khan; academic Khadija Mohammed, and Raza Sadiq, from Running Out Racism.

Former players Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh, who were among those to raise concerns about racism in the sport, have also been critical of what they see as a lack of progress.

They welcomed Mr Luthra's resignation and said Cricket Scotland should remain in special measures until it delivered on eradicating racism from the sport.

BBC Scotland understands that Cricket Scotland's anti-racism working group only met once.