Youth cricketer's parents say sex-harassment claims in WI team scary

PARENTS of a West Indies Under-19 women's cricketer have described claims of sexual harassment in the 2020 West Indies women's World Cup team as scary.

In an interview with Newsday on April 7, the parents say they continuously talk to their daughter to encourage her to speak up about anything.

In a Starcom Network interview, former West Indies women's manager Evril "Betty" Lewis, spoke about the 2020 World Cup incident in Australia. She said the situation was so serious that she brought the player into her room in an effort for her to feel safer.

"I had a scenario where one of the players was traumatised and I had to bring her into the manager's room to see if I could get her settled...and try to get herself in that mindset for the tournament."

The West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) and Cricket West Indies (CWI), in a joint statement on March 21, said they are aware of the allegations and will review safeguarding policies.

"Both organisations take such matters seriously and remain fully committed to ensuring a safe, professional, and supportive environment for all players and staff.

"In light of this, WIPA and CWI will convene to review all aspects of athlete safeguarding within West Indies cricket. This joint effort reflects our commitment to upholding the highest standards of player welfare and ensuring that all safeguarding policies remain robust and effective."

Asked how they felt hearing the allegations, the parents said, "(When you) hear those things, it's frightening."

As a regional cricketer, even at the junior level, travelling to different countries for tournaments is part of the job.

However, the parents said regular updates from their daughter helps them feel more comfortable. "We keep talking to her and we try to tell her once anything (goes wrong), we are always there – a phone call away. You could always call us."

The parents said they feel satisfied with the measures put in place by CWI to ensure the safety of women's players, such as the single-room occupancy rule when on tour, which was introduced in 2023. The policy brought the women on par with the men's team.

They were also impressed that when their daughter represented her national team strict protocols were put in place. If parents visit players on a tour they can only leave the hotel together with the permission of the team manager.

"As a parent, you have to keep talking to your child...because she might be shy to tell somebody else (if something is wrong)."

Having coaches and managers you can trust is important in protecting players, the parents said.

"Once you have the right managers in place, it may not have that.

"In the night time, you don't know what will be playing off (though)."

In 2021, improved safeguarding measures were introduced by CWI for women’s tours to strengthen security and well-being.

Additionally, CWI and WIPA are adhering to UNICEF's Children Protection Policy by not allowing minors to share rooms with adult players.

"WIPA and CWI remain committed to fostering a culture of respect, accountability, and professionalism within West Indies cricket. There will be continuous evaluation of all aspects of policy to ensure every player deserves to feel safe, valued, and fully focused on their career," CWI and WIPA said.

Sports psychologist and former West Indies women's A player Dr Dawn-Marie Armstrong, who played for Barbados and Leeward Islands, in an interview with SportsMax recently, said she was disappointed in CWI's response to the issue and gave the regional body a failing grade on safeguarding. She said young players may turn away from the sport if issues are not addressed properly. She also spoke about her playing experience and feeling like an outcast.

Newsday contacted two former West Indies players to discuss the issue, but both declined to comment. A cricket administrator was also contacted, but also chose not to speak.