Letter to the editor: I umpire cricket regularly on Sundays for a local league and am appalled by the racist abuse meted out to our ethnic minority players.
Last Sunday, we were playing at Wareing Park, Sidcup, when a gang of youths – about 10 of them on bikes – rode across the field shouting obscenities and racist epithets in an aggressive and violent manner.
Two days ago, I umpired a game at Hall Place, Bexley, on the council ground next to the main road. It must have happened four or five times – drivers thinking it funny to shout racist abuse at the players and honking their horns.
It is a sorry state of affairs and something I am starting to see with sad regularity. It is only a matter of time before physical violence occurs, by which time I will no longer be umpiring and cricket will probably cease to be played. More importantly, why are youths in this area brought up to be racist? I thought this was the 21st century?
SANDIP BASU, Chislehurst
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