John Blain: Former international accuses Cricket Scotland of ‘rewriting history’ after racism allegations

Former international John Blain has accused Cricket Scotland of attempting to “rewrite history” in relation to racism allegations made against him.

Allegations against Blain made by former Scotland team-mates Majid Haq and Qasim Sheikh arose during an independent review that detailed hundreds of incidents of institutional racism within Cricket Scotland.

The allegations against Blain were then examined by independent investigators, and Blain spoke out last week to reveal he had received correspondence from former Cricket Scotland chief executive Pete Fitzboydon in January confirming that the allegations against him had “not been founded” by the investigation and that “there is not any case to answer, and so this matter is now considered closed”.

However, the independent investigating team subsequently clarified its role had been to “make findings of fact” and not to pronounce guilt or innocence against any person.

Blain on Tuesday afternoon described the situation as “a craven, disingenuous and despicable attempt by Cricket Scotland to rewrite history a week after I was forced to go public to clear my name”.

He said that in addition to the Fitzboydon letter, he had also received a phone call in February from Cricket Scotland CEO Trudy Lindblade, confirming the position set out by Fitzboydon.

“This latest Cricket Scotland letter is a desperate attempt to reinvent history and to row back from an unequivocal exoneration,” Blain, capped 118 times by Scotland, added in a statement released on Tuesday.

“Their position is fatally undermined by the assurances I have received from not one but TWO chief executives.

“I will now confer with my lawyers and take all steps necessary to protect my reputation in light of this extraordinary and unsustainable about-turn.”

Cricket Scotland issued an update of its own on Tuesday afternoon.

“The decision taken by the former interim CEO of Cricket Scotland (Fitzboydon) to inform Mr Blain of the outcome of his cases was based on reasons we have reiterated to (Blain’s) legal representatives and are unable to comment on publicly,” the governing body said in a statement.

“In the interests of clarity, Mr Blain’s cases were not progressed further due to a combination of insufficient evidence, a lack of an applicable rule at the time of the complaint, and/or a lack of jurisdictional remit or authority to take formal action.

“We have set out our position to Mr Blain and his representatives and are engaging with them directly regarding his media comments.”