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John Blain, former Scotland Cricket International calls for urgent Inquiry after Racism allegations are thrown out

John Blain, one of Scotland’s all-time leading wicket-takers, has called for a full and transparent inquiry into the actions of sportscotland and Cricket Scotland after he was completely cleared of allegations of racist behaviour following a year-long legal investigation.

Unfounded allegations were made against Blain and another, unnamed former internationalist by ex-Scotland players Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh. The claims were comprehensively rejected by an independent legal team appointed by Cricket Scotland after numerous witness statements and a detailed dossier of factual evidence were presented to investigators.

The year-long investigation was carried out jointly by Harper Macleod, a leading Scots law firm, English legal firm Bishop, Lloyd & Jackson, which specialises in discrimination law, and Sporting Equals, a race inclusion charity.

In January this year, Blain received written confirmation (attached) from Cricket Scotland’s then-CEO Pete Fitzboydon, that all allegations against him had been unfounded and that no action would therefore be taken against him. Mr Blain was asked to keep the judgement confidential to enable Cricket Scotland to inform the complainers but has been forced to go public after five months of delay and prevarication by Cricket Scotland.

Blain (45), who represented his country 118 times, said: “It’s obvious to me that, rather than publish this very clear and detailed judgement which fully exonerates me, Cricket Scotland is once again running scared of the small “anti-racist” cabal which has exerted such a malign influence over our sport. My life has been on hold for too long and it’s time that the truth is finally told about one of the biggest sporting scandals of recent times.

“Now that the investigation has cleared me, I am finally able to respond to those who falsely accused me.  I simply could not believe that, after giving both Majid and Qasim considerable support during their careers, they made such false and disgraceful accusations against me.

“If he truly believed I was a racist, why did Majid try so hard to persuade me to join his club, Clydesdale, as professional player-coach in 2015, eight years after he claimed I’d used a racist word, and also recommended me to a string of Asian players for one-to-one coaching.

“Likewise, if Qasim really believed I was a racist, why did he seek me out for one-to-one coaching in 2014 to help him regain his Scotland place - something I gladly did for free?

"Crucially, the in-depth Scottish investigation did not accept Majid’s allegation that I had used the P-word during a tour to Kenya in 2007.  That’s the exact same allegation the England and Wales Cricket Board panel used to support their finding against me. Majid’s false allegation was used as corroboration of Azeem Rafiq’s equally untrue allegation and was central to the ECB verdict against me, which must now be deemed unsafe.

“What’s worse, the ECB tribunal stated that because I had not engaged with their flawed process, they were entitled to conclude that I had no answer to the allegations against me. The ECB failed to take proper account of clear evidence from four different players - who each provided sworn statements that the incident had not occurred - saying their evidence was “untested”, despite the fact that Majid’s account was also completely untested. Their reasoning was lazy and made no attempt to reconcile Majid’s account with the contradictory evidence of four other witnesses.

“The fact that the year-long Scottish investigation has completely exonerated me fatally undermines the ECB process and must force them to reconsider their unjust verdict and clear my name.

“In contrast, I want to place on record my heartfelt thanks to a string of former players and others within our game - including several Asian players - who have been brave enough to stand up for the truth and to support me during an extremely difficult period for me and my family. I would also like to thank the independent panel which considered my lawyers’ submissions very carefully and objectively, reaching the clear conclusion that all of the allegations were unfounded. This raises some fundamental issues for both Majid and Qasim, as well as for the sporting authorities.

“I also note that Qasim has very recently been employed as a sports commentator by the BBC, ironically the same broadcaster which removed me from my longstanding cricket commentating role when these false allegations surfaced. It will be revealing to see what action, if any, the BBC takes in light of this definitive verdict. For the record, I would be very happy to resume my duties with them.

“It’s taken over three years to clear my name and I remain very angry and disappointed at the way Cricket Scotland, sportscotland and the ECB have so badly mishandled these allegations and the wider process.

“From the beginning, and before any investigation had been conducted, the allegations were treated by sportscotland and Cricket Scotland as established facts but have now been proven to be without substance.

“This revealing mindset led to sportscotland commissioning the deeply flawed and biased Plan 4 Sport review which said it found 448 instances of racism and discrimination. That report’s credibility now lies in tatters.

“It’s beyond irony that Plan 4 Sport had actually been working with Cricket Scotland and sportscotland for years, vetting and developing their EDI processes and had repeatedly given Cricket Scotland a clean bill of health!

“To describe the way sportscotland and Cricket Scotland initially handled that report as a ‘kangaroo court’ is an insult to marsupials everywhere.”

Blain, who has lost several jobs due to the negative publicity surrounding the false claims, including at the BBC and George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh, has launched a GoFundMe page campaign to help meet some of his legal expenses, but remains severely out of pocket and is currently working part-time.

He said: “After a huge amount of forensic work and tireless support from my legal team, we have finally proved that these allegations were baseless. However, thanks to a powerful cabal of people with a very specific agenda to unfairly and inaccurately paint the sport I love - and many of the key figures within it - as racist, its very future is threatened.

“My accusers, their supporters at sportscotland, Cricket Scotland and the lobby group Running Out Racism have very serious questions to answer.

“They endorsed a misleading narrative that cricket in Scotland is inherently racist, when it has long been the most multiracial and integrated sport in the country. Their narrow, activist agenda has done untold damage to Scottish cricket, from which I fear it may never fully recover.

“The last three years have created a climate of fear, where many players, officials and administrators have been afraid to raise their voices in support of what they know to be true. I’ve received enormous support from scores of former team-mates, including many in the Asian community, who are disgusted by what has been allowed to happen.  

“In particular, I owe a huge debt to the fine people at The Grange Club in Edinburgh, who have stood by me and my family despite coming under outrageous and sustained pressure from a small group of so-called ‘anti-racists’ to sack me from my seasonal coaching position. Without them, I would have been lost.

“It will also be interesting to see what steps Trudy Lindblade and Wilf Walsh, the new chief executive and new chair of Cricket Scotland, take now. There should, at the very least, be a full and transparent investigation into how these allegations were so badly mishandled and sportscotland must do likewise.

“The governing body should also immediately reinstate me to Cricket Scotland’s Hall of Fame, following my very humiliating and public removal in July 2022.  

“I have been the victim of a cynical and highly effective smear campaign, including successfully putting pressure on several of my employers to sack me. I have suffered serious online defamation and multiple social media attacks. My house requires regular police surveillance, my children have also been targeted and the health of close family members has suffered due to the prolonged period of intense stress.”

John Blain’s legal team, David McKie and Grant Maclean of Levy & McRae, said: “A number of very serious and public allegations were made about our client before being tested by independent investigators. We presented a very substantial body of evidence, corroborated extensively with many witness testimonies and documentary proof, which overwhelmingly contradicted the claims made against him. After due process, which our client has faithfully observed, our client was told in writing that the allegations were unfounded and that he had no case to answer.

“Our client has remained respectful of the process. He and his family have watched as his reputation was destroyed very publicly and unjustifiably before the due process had even commenced, let alone completed. We are now reviewing all legal options with our client, including taking legal action against all of those who impugned his name.”

 

John Blain Media Release -  Levy & McRae - sportscotland and Cricket Scotland Changing the Boundaries investigations

Cricket Scotland Statement - 10/06/24

Cricket Scotland has engaged extensively with all parties throughout a complex, challenging and emotive independent investigative process.

This has included offering appropriate support to both complainants and respondents.

It is imperative as the national governing body that we continue to work within the framework of the independent investigation, overseen by Harper MacLeod LLP, Bishop Lloyd Jackson and Sporting Equals, with overall oversight from sportscotland.

We will continue to respect that independent process, with the welfare of all involved as a priority, in order that we can reach a conclusion that enables our sport to move forward with unity.

We will comment further upon the conclusion of the independent investigative process, whilst continuing to offer support to all those involved.