Publication comes more than 2 and a half years after the report was instigated following an extensive number of claims of institutional racism within English cricket Barrister Yasin Patel: It will be interesting to see what is said about inequality in cricket in terms of race, gender and class and the lack of access LONDON: The long-awaited Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) Report is to be published on Tuesday 27 June, more than 2 and a half years after the report was instigated after an extensive number of claims of institutional racism within English cricket were made. For the latest updates, follow us on Twitter @ArabNewsSport It has been stated that over 4000 people have given accounts to the Commission, more then 550 documents from cricketing bodies and experts have been collected and over 70 individuals and organisations were met with. Publication of the report has been delayed for several months and questions will be raised as to why such an important document is being released the day before the second Ashes Test at Lords and the same day that Yorkshire CCC will have its sanctions hearing at the International Arbitration Centre after admitting four breaches in the racism row that has clouded the County club for so long. Some people have stated that it is a case of damage limitation and 24 hours of bad press at worse. Yasin Patel, a Barrister specialising in Sports Law, states that “Although the contents of the report will not be known until Tuesday, it can be assumed that the Report will not be something that the cricketing powers at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will be shouting proudly about. It will be interesting to see what is said about inequality in cricket in terms of race, gender and class and the lack of access, veiled barriers and limited opportunities that people of colour experience. In addition, the experiences of discrimination and prejudice from the grass roots to those at the top of the professional game may be difficult reading for some of us.” The Cricket Disciplinary Commission (“CDC”) Hearings over the last few months highlighted the failures of the ECB and the various Professional Bodies in both treating the allegations of Azeem Rafiq seriously and properly and therefore the points to be made by the ICEC in terms of the culture within the game, dressing rooms, committee rooms, the governance, leadership, processes of complaints, disciplinary processes and whistleblowing procedures will be particularly relevant and important. It will no doubt be hoped that a strong England performance on Wednesday will somehow soften the inevitable blow that this report will give to English cricket, but the bigger question will be whether the games governing body is willing to make all the necessary and painful changes that will be recommended by the ICEC in order for the game of cricket to be inclusive for everyone.