Anti-Discrimination Regulations

ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD ANTI-DISCRIMINATION REGULATIONS

INTRODUCTION

The England and Wales Cricket Board (the ECB) is responsible for the governance of cricket in England and Wales. These ECB Anti-Discrimination Regulations (the Regulations) are part of the ECB’s continuing efforts to maintain the integrity, diversity and inclusivity of cricket.

The ECB aims to create an environment within cricket in England and Wales in which no individual, group or organisation experiences discrimination or acts in a discriminatory manner on the basis of a Protected Characteristic (as defined in the Equality Act 2010 from time to time – which as at the Effective Date are age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation).

These Regulations therefore set out discriminatory behaviour which, when carried out by a participant who is required to comply with them, will be a breach of the Regulations and may be sanctioned accordingly.

All Participants (as defined below) agree by virtue of their involvement in cricket in England and Wales to be bound by these Regulations and submit to the disciplinary jurisdiction of the relevant body which applies to them.

All Professional County Clubs, Hundred Teams, National County Clubs, Tier 3 Counties, Recreational Cricket Boards, the Marylebone Cricket Club, leagues, clubs and other organisations under the jurisdiction of the ECB or its members must adopt and enforce the Regulations.

Participants who are party to an ECB agreement and/or in receipt of ECB funding may be obliged, as a condition of those agreements or funding, to comply with or adopt the Regulations and/or enforce the provisions of the Regulations through their own processes.

The Regulations come into full force and effect on the Effective Date. The Regulations may be amended from time to time by the ECB in its sole discretion, with such amendments coming into effect on the date specified by the ECB.

DEFINITIONS
Cricket Organisation means
a) Professional County Clubs, Hundred Teams, National County Clubs, Tier 3 Counties, Recreational Cricket Boards and the Marylebone Cricket Club;
b) clubs and leagues which are affiliated to or under the jurisdiction of either the ECB or any of its members;
c) other organisations under the jurisdiction of the ECB or its members; and
d) any other organisations which adopt these Regulations.

Effective Date means 3 March 2025.

National County Club means any National County Cricket Club which plays in the competitions organised by the NCCA.
NCCA means the National Counties Cricket Association.

Participant means:
a) Cricket Organisations;
b) employees, directors, officers, committee members, contractors and volunteers, in each case, of the ECB or any Cricket Organisation;
c) match officials including members of the Association of Cricket Officials;
d) members of the ECB Coaches Association;
e) an individual taking part in a cricket match or event under the jurisdiction of the ECB and/or any ECB Member; and
f) any other individual who becomes bound by these Regulations.

Example
Paragraph (f) above is intended to cover other individuals which a cricket organisation chooses to have bound by the Regulations. For example, a cricket venue may require spectators to abide by the Regulations by making it a provision of the ticket terms and conditions which a spectator agrees to.

Professional County Club means any of the clubs and/or companies from time to time listed in Schedule A to the ECB’s articles of association and/or any county cricket club from time to time playing in the County Championship and/or the Tier 1 Competitions and/or the Tier 2 Competitions.

Recreational Cricket Board means a body designated as such by the ECB which is responsible for the organisation of recreational cricketing activity and the development of cricket generally within a county and such other areas (if any) as may be agreed by the ECB.

Relevant Individual means any trustee, director, chair, lead officer, chief executive or lead safeguarding officer (or equivalent of such categories of individual), as applicable, of a Cricket Organisation.

Tier 1 Competitions means any women’s domestic cricket competitions designated by the ECB as being a “Tier 1” competition, which, as at the Effective Date, includes the T20 Blast Women’s Competition and the One Day Cup Women’s Competition.

Tier 2 Competitions means any women’s domestic cricket competitions designated by the ECB as being a “Tier 2” competition, which, as at the Effective Date, includes the T20 Blast Women’s League 2 and the One Day Cup Women’s League 2.

Tier 3 Competitions means any women’s domestic cricket competitions designated by the ECB as being a “Tier 3” competition, which, as at the Effective Date, includes the T20 Blast Women’s League 3 and the One Day Cup Women’s League 3.

Tier 3 County means a Recreational Cricket Board which (i) operates in a county without a Professional County Club and (ii) runs a team which participates in the Tier 3 Competitions.

BREACHES UNDER THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION REGULATIONS
1. It will be a breach of these Regulations for any Participant to:
1.1 discriminate against any person or persons based upon any relevant Protected Characteristic, whether by act or omission, directly or indirectly, unless permitted by law;
1.2 engage in conduct related to a relevant Protected Characteristic which has the purpose or effect of violating another’s dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person or persons; and/or
1.3 subject another person to a detriment because that person has made (or the Participant believes that person has or might make) an allegation or complaint in good faith about any conduct described in Regulation 1.1 and/or 1.2 or has otherwise participated in good faith in any process designed to establish whether such conduct has occurred.
2. In deciding whether the conduct has the effect referred to in Regulation 1.2 above, the following will be taken into account, namely:
2.1 the perception of the relevant person or persons,
2.2 the circumstances of the case, and
2.3 whether it is reasonable for the conduct to have that effect.
3. In instances where the Participant is an organisation, it will be a breach of these Regulations to fail to provide an effective, timely and proportionate response to an alleged breach under Regulation 1 above, carried out by any individual or organisation under the jurisdiction of the Participant.
4. The breaches referenced in Regulation 1 apply regardless of whether the Protected Characteristic(s) around which the breach is based applies to the person or people to whom the offending conduct is directed.
Example
If a player makes a homophobic comment directed at another player during a match, regardless of whether that other player belongs to the group referred to, this would amount to a breach of these Regulations.
5. Relevant Individuals are required to report a breach of the Anti-Discrimination Regulations to the Cricket Regulator. It will be a breach of these Regulations for any Relevant Individual to not report a matter to the Cricket Regulator which the Relevant Individual is aware, or has been given reason to believe, is a breach of Regulation 1.
6. Any breach of these Regulations may also constitute an offence or breach of other applicable laws, rules and/or regulations. These Regulations are intended to supplement such other laws, rules and regulations and are not intended, and may not be interpreted, construed or applied, to prejudice or undermine in any way the application of such other laws, rules and/or regulations. Participants therefore acknowledge and agree that these Regulations do not limit their responsibilities or obligations under other laws, rules and/or regulations.

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