Mike O’Farrell set to stay as Middlesex chairman despite racial stereotypes row

Mike O’Farrell looks set to remain in his post as Middlesex chairman for now following the row over his comments to MPs in Parliament yesterday.

O’Farrell had told a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee hearing into racism in cricket that football and rugby were “much more attractive to the Afro-Caribbean community than cricket”.

In addition, he said players from the South Asian community “sometimes prefer to go into other educational fields and then cricket becomes secondary”.

Former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq said the comments showed the counties and the game were still in denial about racism, while former England cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent called them “outdated views”.

It is not thought that Farrell’s position of chair at the club is under immediate threat. There has been no pressure from the board for him to quit, nor is the board set to meet to discuss his position.

Rafiq, whose explosive testimony launched the initial inquiry by MPs, said the comments showed “how we have a long way to go”.

He added: “To say Asian kids don’t want to play cricket because it’s time consuming… it’s staggering.”

Former World Cup winner Rainford-Brent said: “These outdated views are exactly why we are in this position. Unfortunately, the decision makers hold onto these myths: ‘the black community only like football, and the Asian community is only interested in education’. The game deserves better.”

Following his appearance in Parliament, O’Farrell apologised for his comments and said he would step down if required to by the Middlesex board.

“I wholly accept this misunderstanding is entirely down to my own lack of clarity and context in the answers I provided,” he said.

“I apologise for any upset or hurt my comments may have caused. That was not my intention.”