ECB stops using Rooney Rule

The England and Wales Cricket Board has abandoned routine use of the Rooney Rule in hiring coaches for national teams, saying its recruitment approach has evolved over eight years.

What the Rooney Rule required

In two thousand eighteen, the ECB committed to interviewing at least one applicant from an ethnic minority background for all coaching roles in the national men's, women's and disabled teams.

Rule came before equity report

The commitment came five years before the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket concluded discrimination was widespread in the sport in England and Wales in two thousand twenty-three.

Not all recent hires used it

Of sixteen roles connected to England men's and women's teams since two thousand twenty-four, not all appointments were made with the Rooney Rule applied, the ECB confirmed to BBC Sport.

ECB's new recruitment approach

The ECB says coach recruitment processes are now tailored to each role's requirements. Some involve open recruitment, others targeted searches for specialist skills, experience and leadership qualities.

“Coach recruitment processes are tailored to the requirements of each role. Some appointments involve open recruitment processes, while others involve targeted searches for specialist skillsets, experience and leadership qualities.”

Former director disagreed in twenty twenty-five

In April two thousand twenty-five, then director of women's cricket Clare Connor did not use an open recruitment process or the Rooney Rule when naming Charlotte Edwards head coach of the England women's team.

ECB backs pipeline development instead

The ECB says strengthening the coaching and leadership pipeline and increasing ethnically diverse and female coaches progressing through the system is more effective for long-term change than applying the Rooney Rule in every case.

“We remain committed to improving diversity and representation within cricket. We recognise there are differing views on the effectiveness of the Rooney Rule, and instead of applying that in every case, our experience has shown that strengthening the coaching and leadership pipeline, and increasing the number of ethnically diverse and female coaches progressing through the system, is the most effective way of securing long-term change.”