Majid Haq: Former Scotland cricketer alleges racial discrimination after removal from umpiring appointment – Sky Sports

Cricket
Majid Haq was due to take charge of Scotland vs Nepal earlier this month; his removal by the Cricket Scotland Match Officials Association was described as an operational decision; Haq’s representative has lodged a formal complaint which Cricket Scotland says will be assessed
Monday 9 June 2025 15:03, UK
Former Scotland cricketer Majid Haq claims he has been racially discriminated against after his removal from an international umpiring appointment.
Haq also claims to have been the victim of harassment and victimisation due to the colour of his skin.
It follows a decision made by the Cricket Scotland Match Officials Association (CSMOA) to remove him from his duties as an umpire for Scotland’s fixture against Nepal earlier this month.
Haq has lodged an official complaint via his representative to the CSMOA and Cricket Scotland following the decision. Sky Sports News has seen the correspondence.
Cricket Scotland says it was an operational decision by the CSMOA, who are a separate entity, and that Haq’s complaint will be assessed.
Haq was due to be the first Scottish-born South Asian to officiate an international fixture in the country, as Scotland A took on Nepal.
However, in the lead-up to the match, the CSMOA decided to replace him for a number of reasons Haq believes demonstrate he is being treated differently due to his background.
Haq revealed to Sky Sports News in 2021 that he had suffered racial abuse as a player, and that resulted in an independent review, which found that Cricket Scotland’s governance and leadership practices were institutionally racist.
An email seen by Sky Sports News shows the reasons provided to Haq include his failure to purchase the required kit, non-payment of membership fees and failure to attend an online pre-match meeting.
However, the former Scotland player insists he had already been given the required kit by a fellow umpire and was in possession of it ahead of the match. Meanwhile, a photograph from later that week appears to show other umpires officiating while wearing the wrong kit.
Haq also claims he was given less than 24 hours notice to attend the meeting, and when notifying the CSMOA that he could not dial into the call due to a tennis match at that time, he was removed from the fixture.
However, it is claimed there was another umpire who was involved in the series that was allowed to make other plans after being unavailable for the same meeting. He also says he had paid his membership fees in advance of the match, when it was raised as an issue that could stop him officiating.
Cricket Scotland supports the CSMOA in some areas, but the organisations are separate entities and Cricket Scotland insists it did not make the decision about Haq’s removal from the fixture.
A Cricket Scotland spokesperson told Sky Sports News: “We have received a complaint on behalf of Majid Haq.
“As per Cricket Scotland’s complaints policy and process, the complaint will be assessed and a determination made on what the next steps are.”
The CSMOA declined to comment when approached by Sky Sports News.
In a statement to Sky Sports News, Haq said: “I hoped the independent review that unearthed examples of racism within cricket in Scotland would act as a watershed moment for the sport.
“However, I am now being victimised in my role as an umpire, just like I was discriminated against when playing for my country.
“The incident that saw me taken off duties to umpire an international fixture for the first time has been deeply upsetting.
“If another umpire were in my position, they would not have been treated this way.
“It hurts that in 2025, I still find myself being discriminated against. All I want to do is help the sport that I love.”
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