The England women’s captain, Heather Knight, has apologised after she was reprimanded and given a suspended £1,000 fine for attending a fancy dress party in blackface in 2012.
Pictures of Knight at the party, an end-of-season event at a Kent cricket club with a “sports stars” theme, emerged recently on Facebook, leading to her being charged last month by the Cricket Regulator with bringing the game into disrepute.
Knight, now 33 but 21 at the time the photographs were taken, admitted the charge but was able to demonstrate that – in the words of the interim director of the Cricket Regulator, Dave Lewis – “there was no racist intent in her conduct”. She also provided the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) with references which were “strongly supportive of [her] positive influence on players from different ethnicities and backgrounds”.
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The CDC’s adjudicator, the solicitor and former professional cricketer Tim O’Gorman, decided that details of the case should be published “so as to emphasise that such inappropriate behaviour, however historical, is not acceptable and will not be tolerated”. Knight will continue to lead the England side, including at the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates next month.
“I’m truly sorry for the mistake I made in 2012,” Knight said. “It was wrong, and I have long regretted it. Back then, I simply was not as educated as to the implications and consequences of my actions as I have become since. There was no ill-intent meant.
“Whilst I can’t change the past, I am passionate and committed to using my platform to promote inclusivity across the game ensuring underrepresented groups are afforded the same opportunities and fulfilment within the game as I have.”
Richard Gould, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said: “Heather recognises this was a serious error of judgment which took place more than 10 years ago and has rightly apologised. As a public figure and leader, Heather has worked tirelessly to foster a more inclusive and equitable future for cricket. She has championed initiatives to promote diversity and strongly advocated for marginalised communities. She has shown herself to be a positive role model. While we cannot change the past, we can certainly learn from it. This incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing work to combat racism and discrimination. We remain committed to fostering a culture of respect, inclusivity, and belonging for all.”
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