Ben Stokes: ‘The game I love should be enjoyed without discrimination’

“Simply earlier than I am going, I wish to make it clear I’ve not learn the report because it solely got here out final evening.

“To the individuals concerned within the recreation who’ve been made to really feel unwelcome or unaccepted previously, I’m deeply sorry to listen to of your experiences. Cricket is a recreation that should rejoice variety on all fronts as a result of with out variety, this recreation wouldn’t the place it’s at at the moment.

“As a sport, we have to be taught from previous errors and do all we will to make individuals really feel protected and be themselves at each degree. I’ve been an England participant since 2011 and I really feel very lucky to have been part of some extremely various groups and love how everybody has a special story to inform. We should go additional and be extra inclusive and various as a result of the sport I really like – and hundreds of thousands worldwide love – needs to be loved with out concern of discrimination or judgement whether or not that be resulting from your upbringing, race or gender.

“As I stated earlier, everybody has a special story to inform. I’m Ben Stokes, born in New Zealand, a state-educated pupil who dropped out of faculty at 16 with one GCSE in PE. I need assistance with the spelling and grammar on this speech and I’m at the moment sitting right here because the England males’s Check captain.

“It’s clear there may be a lot extra the sport has to do and as gamers we actually wish to be part of that to make sure that is actually a sport for everybody.”