INTERNATIONAL CRICKET COUNCIL
ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY FOR
INTERNATIONAL CRICKET
INTRODUCTION
1. The ICC is the international federation responsible for the global governance of the sport of cricket. The ICC is committed to ensuring that wherever cricket is played, it can be enjoyed by all Players, Player Support Personnel, officials, spectators, commercial partners and others regardless of their respective backgrounds. In particular, the ICC strives to ensure that all such participants can enjoy the sport without being the subject of conduct that is (for example) offensive, insulting, humiliating or intimidating on the basis of race, religion, culture, colour, descent, nationality, ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and/or maternity status.
2. This Anti-Discrimination Policy for International Cricket (the ‘Anti-Discrimination Policy’) is adopted and implemented as part of the ICC’s continuing efforts to maintain the public image, popularity and integrity of cricket. It contains a series of clear but flexible requirements for each Member, whether Full or Associate, in terms of the Member’s own conduct, its education and training of others, its communications with spectators and others, and its reporting to the ICC, each in respect of International Matches played within its jurisdiction. It also contains a series of similar requirements upon the ICC, to reflect the fact that the ICC is primarily responsible for compliance with such matters at ICC Events (it being acknowledged, however, that such responsibility may, by contractual agreement, be passed on to the relevant Member in whose jurisdiction the ICC Event is being held).
3. This Anti-Discrimination Policy complements the provisions of the ICC’s Anti-Discrimination Code for Participants, which (among other things) prohibits any discriminatory conduct by Participants (as defined in that Code) that is likely to cause offence during International Matches. While this Anti-Discrimination Policy and the ICC’s Anti-Discrimination Code for Participants both apply specifically to International Matches, Members are encouraged to adopt and implement corresponding policies that apply to all other domestic cricket taking place within their respective jurisdictions.
4. The terms ‘Member’, ‘Full Member’, ‘Associate Member’, and ‘Board of Directors’ bear the respective meanings set out in the ICC’s Articles of Association dated 22 June 2017, or any successor document. Unless otherwise stated, other capitalised terms in this Anti-Discrimination Policy bear the respective meanings set out in the ICC’s Anti-Discrimination Code for Participants as in force from time to time.
5. This Anti-Discrimination Policy is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English law.
GENERAL
6. The ICC and all of its Members should:
not at any time offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage, vilify or unlawfully discriminate between persons based on their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, nationality, ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and/or maternity status (‘Inappropriate Conduct’);
adopt appropriate policies, protocols, mission statements and similar so that it is clear to all employees, officials, commercial partners and other participants and stakeholders that Inappropriate Conduct (including in any public statements) will not be tolerated by the ICC or by the Member, whether at International Matches played within its jurisdiction or those played as part of an ICC Event (as applicable), or at other times; and
where reasonably practicable, monitor the conduct of its employees, officials, partners and other participants and stakeholders and take such action as it considers appropriate in respect of any Inappropriate Conduct.
EDUCATION
7. The ICC and each of its Members should take such steps as it considers necessary within its own jurisdiction to ensure that all employees, officials, commercial partners and other participants and stakeholders (including stewards and other venue officials) have, prior to each International Match played within its jurisdiction or those played as part of an ICC Event (as applicable):
read and understood this Anti-Discrimination Policy; and
received appropriate levels of training and education about their own conduct and how they should respond to particular conduct of others (for example, training of stewards as to how to deal with spectators chanting abuse of any kind at other spectators or Players).
8. The ICC and each of its Members should take such steps as it considers necessary in order to liaise with all relevant Members ahead of International Matches between their respective teams or those played as part of an ICC Event (as applicable) so as to:
make clear its position in respect of Inappropriate Conduct and the steps that it proposes to put in place in order to comply with this Anti-Discrimination Policy; and
share information (including with the ICC’s duly appointed representative) about any specific examples of Inappropriate Conduct that might occur, for example, specific phrases that might be chanted by spectators, or examples of language or gestures that might be of concern to individuals on the basis of their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, nationality, ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and/or maternity status.
COMMUNICATIONS WITH SPECTATORS
9. The ICC and each of its Members must ensure that, prior to and/or during each International Match played within its jurisdiction or those played as part of ICC Event (as applicable), all spectators are made aware of the following statement, hereafter referred to as the ‘Policy Statement on Inappropriate Conduct’:
“It shall be a breach of the terms and conditions of entry to the venue for any ticket-holder to engage in any conduct (whether through the use of language, gestures or otherwise) which is likely to offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify any other person (including players, match officials or spectators) on the basis of their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, nationality, ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and/or maternity status. Such action will not be tolerated and is likely to result in ejection from the venue, the imposition of other sanctions, such as being banned from the venue in the future and possible further action including criminal prosecution.”
10. In order to comply with its obligation in paragraph 9, above, the ICC and each of its Members must, unless a relevant law enforcement or security authority has provided advice to the contrary, as a minimum, ensure that the Policy Statement on Inappropriate Conduct is:
printed in full within any terms and conditions (or similar) that may apply to admission tickets to the venue for the relevant International Match;
printed in full in a prominent position in any relevant International Match programme (or similar) that is produced;
printed in full on a number of prominently-placed and clearly visible posters and/or advertising sites (or similar) around the relevant International Match venue, including at the entrances to the venue; and
replayed in full and repeatedly on any available ‘television screen’ broadcasts or scoreboards capable of displaying such messages and/or through any available public address announcements (or similar) in the relevant International Match venue.
ENFORCEMENT AGAINST SPECTATORS
11. The ICC and each of its Members should take such steps as it considers necessary to prevent the occurrence at International Matches played within its jurisdiction or those played as part of an ICC Event (as applicable) of Inappropriate Conduct by spectators and to ensure that any such conduct is dealt with in a timely manner by the Member or ICC (as applicable) or others before, during and/or after the International Match (as may be appropriate). In complying with this requirement, the ICC and each of its Members should consider (among other things):
arranging for any banners and signs (or similar), the display of which would constitute Inappropriate Conduct, to be removed from the relevant spectators on arrival at the relevant International Match venue;
arranging for representatives of the relevant criminal justice authorities and/or suitably trained stewards in sufficient numbers to visibly monitor spectators, particularly at sensitive International Matches;
arranging for public address announcements to be made at the first sign of any potential, or actual, Inappropriate Conduct, condemning such behaviour and warning that immediate action will be taken against offenders;
arranging for any spectator engaging in Inappropriate Conduct to be removed from the relevant International Match/ICC Event venue with immediate effect;
arranging for the relevant spectators to be prevented for an appropriate period of time from entering the relevant International Match/ICC Event venue (and other venues within the jurisdiction of the Member) for the purpose of watching cricket;
using CCTV (or similar) at International Match/ICC Event venues to gather evidence that might assist in dealing appropriately with any Inappropriate Conduct and/or that might be shared with the relevant criminal justice authorities;
arranging for the relevant spectators to attend training programmes (or similar) that would allow them to change their attitudes and behaviour;
liaising with the relevant criminal justice authorities at all relevant times and reporting all incidents of Inappropriate Conduct to them.
12. The ICC and each of its Members must take reasonable steps to ensure that no written material that is likely to offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage, vilify or unlawfully discriminate between persons based on their race, religion, culture, colour, descent, nationality, ethnic origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marital status and/or maternity status is sold or otherwise distributed in or around the venue of any International Match played within its jurisdiction or played as part of an ICC Event (as applicable). Similarly, the ICC and each of its Members should take reasonable steps to ensure that all graffiti containing any such material at or around the venue of any International Match played within its jurisdiction or played as part of an ICC Event (as applicable) is removed or covered.
REPORTING
13. Each Member should elect or appoint a person to be the Member’s designated point of contact for communications with the ICC pursuant to this Anti-Discrimination Policy (for the purpose of this Anti-Discrimination Policy, that person will be called the ‘Anti-Discrimination Administrator’).
14. Each Member’s Anti-Discrimination Administrator will be responsible for putting in place appropriate measures for each International Match played within its jurisdiction reasonably in advance in order to comply with this Anti-Discrimination Policy.
15. Within two weeks of the conclusion of each International Match played within a Member’s jurisdiction, each Member’s Anti-Discrimination Administrator must complete, and return to the ICC’s duly appointed representative on anti-discrimination matters, the template report form (a copy of which is attached as Appendix A to this policy), in order to provide details of any incidents of Inappropriate Conduct (or related matters) occurring in respect of such International Match(es).
16. Where no report is filed to the ICC’s duly appointed representative on anti-discrimination matters in accordance with paragraph 15, above, it shall be deemed that no incidents of Inappropriate Conduct (or related matters) arose during the International Matches and the ICC’s duly appointed anti-discrimination representative will report as such pursuant to paragraph 18, below.
17. Without prejudice to the reporting requirements set out in paragraph 15, above, each Member’s Anti-Discrimination Administrator should, where reasonably practicable, keep the ICC’s duly appointed representative on anti-discrimination matters informed and up-to-date of any serious incidents of Inappropriate Conduct occurring in respect of International Matches played within the Member’s jurisdiction as such incidents occur, develop and are dealt with.
18. The ICC’s duly appointed representative on anti-discrimination matters will report on a quarterly basis to the ICC’s Board of Directors on the ICC’s and each of its Member’s compliance with this Anti-Discrimination Policy, and the Board of Directors may resolve to take such action as it considers appropriate with respect to any elements of such report, including any incidents of Inappropriate Conduct referred to therein and/or any failure or refusal to comply with the requirements of this Anti-Discrimination Policy.
For information regarding the ICC Anti-Discrimination Policy for International Cricket, please contact:
The Legal Department
International Cricket Council
PO Box 500 070, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tel: (switchboard): +971 4 382 8800
Email: contactlegal@icc-cricket.com
Appendix A
ICC Anti-Discrimination Policy for International Cricket – Report
The following form has been developed to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the ICC Anti-Discrimination Policy for International Cricket. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the Policy, all Members hosting the following categories of matches are required to return the report where any incidences of Inappropriate Conduct (or related matters) occur during any International Match played within the Member’s jurisdiction within two (2) weeks of its completion. For the avoidance of doubt, International Matches shall include (in men’s and women’s cricket):
Test Matches
One Day International
T20 International Matches
Any Match played as part of an ICC Event
International Tour Matches
Any other Match organised or sanctioned by the ICC from time to time to which the ICC deems it appropriate that this Anti-Discrimination Policy should apply.
For the avoidance of doubt, this Report form only needs to be submitted to the ICC in circumstances where there are incidence(s) of Inappropriate Conduct (or related matters) during an International Match. If there are no such incidence(s) arising then no submission of this form is required.
Without prejudice to the Member’s requirement to submit this Report form within two (2) weeks of the International Match, in accordance with paragraph 17 of the Policy, where any serious incident of Inappropriate Conduct (or related matter) occurs during an International Match played within that Member’s jurisdiction, the Member must report such incident to the ICC’s duly appointed anti-discrimination representative as soon as such incident occurs, and must keep the ICC representative up to date with how the matter develops and is dealt with.
Total number of complaints/allegations/incidences arising related to Inappropriate Conduct received? [ ]
Please provide details of each complaint/allegation/incident arising and the action(s) taken.
3. Please describe the steps taken by the Member to comply with the requirements of the ICC Anti-Discrimination Policy for International Cricket at the relevant International Match(es).
EDUCATION (Paragraphs 7 and 8 of the Policy) COMMUNICATION WITH SPECTATORS (Paragraphs 9 and 10 of the Policy) ENFORCEMENT (Paragraphs 11 and 12 of the Policy) |
4. Any other feedback you would like to give to the ICC on the Anti-Discrimination Policy for International Cricket and your experiences implementing it (whether in relation to the relevant International Match(es) or generally)?
Thank you for taking the time to complete this form.
Please email or fax it back to:
The Legal Department
International Cricket Council
Email: contactlegal@icc-cricket.com
Fax: +971 4 382 8600 Tel: +971 4 382 8800
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