Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has expressed concerns that education is not given enough priority in addressing racism within English cricket. He believes racism has become “normalised” in the sport, with people often unaware of their actions.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Moeen stated, “One thing a lot of people probably won’t know about me personally is that I would call it out. Especially as I got more established. And unfortunately, you kind of feel like once you’re established, you’ve got a voice.”
Highlighting the importance of education in tackling racism, Moeen said, “I don’t think it’s prioritised enough, not at all. It doesn’t mean you have to have a PhD or anything, it’s just knowing a little bit.”
In 2023, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) released a report stating that racism is “entrenched” in English cricket. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has since introduced measures, including equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) action plans. They are currently training 150 leaders, including county chairs and CEOs, on racial literacy and developing anti-racism initiatives through the Race in Cricket Network.
Moeen, who played 298 games for England across all formats, reflected on how he dealt with racism throughout his career. He emphasized that his approach was to focus on performance: “My dad always told me, if you score runs and you take wickets, even if someone holds something against you, whether it’s your religious background or your colour – whatever it is, they’re going to have to pick you at some point. As long as you keep knocking the door down.”
Despite efforts to combat racism, Moeen believes there is still progress to be made. He credited Azeem Rafiq for encouraging more people to speak out about their experiences. “There’s also ways of calling it out. It’s not arguing or fighting, it’s maybe taking someone to the side or even as a joke saying, ‘look, what you’re saying is not right,'” he explained. “The timing is very important – you don’t have to say it in front of a large group of people and embarrass the person.”
As a high-profile Muslim sports figure, Moeen also played a role in educating his England teammates about his faith. “I think that gap has been closed – not completely, but I think it is closer together than it’s ever been. Especially around the England changing room,” he said. “I just hope that even one person has been like, ‘you know what, Muslims are not bad people and they’re just normal or good, whatever it is.'”
Moeen, who will retire from county cricket after this summer’s Vitality Blast with Birmingham Bears, is now pursuing his level-three coaching qualification. “I really enjoy the team environment. I enjoy inspiring, motivating and helping, really, so I will hopefully get the rewards of people performing for England,” he said.
Reflecting on his career, Moeen noted that being “part of the furniture” for England for a decade was a major achievement, but what stood out the most was being a role model. “The things that really stick out are when people say, ‘my kid loves cricket because of you’ or ‘my son’s a big fan or my daughter’s a massive fan,'” he said.Since stepping away from cricket, Moeen has found a new passion in padel. “It’s very addictive. I’ve been playing for a year and I love it. Everywhere I go now, I try to play padel.”
Name of Author: Cricexec Staff
