Italian cricket under sexual harassment cloud

Italian cricket under sexual harassment cloud

Italian cricket faces allegations of sexual harassment, shortly after the country's debut at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

The BBC reported a sexual misconduct case against Prabath Ekneligoda, women's cricket coordinator at Federazione Cricket Italiana (FCRI). He is accused of inappropriately touching a member of the Italian women's team.

The player, whose identity is unknown, reported the incident to police in March 2025. An investigation followed in November, and Ekneligoda was interrogated in December. He is also the founder of Roma Cricket Club in Italy.

In a statement, FCRI said, "The Italian Cricket Federation reiterates that its conduct is guided by principles of fairness, transparency and the protection of its registered members, as well as by the ethical and civic standards that underpin the sporting system." Ekneligoda's lawyer has denied the allegations.

A decision on a potential trial is pending, based on the existing evidence.