Pressure mounts on Yorkshire County Cricket Club after race row report leaked
An MP has urged the board of Yorkshire County Cricket Club to resign after a report was leaked containing details of the investigation into the treatment of ex-player Azeem Rafiq.
A story published by ESPN says the report concluded a racially offensive term used towards Rafiq was regarded as “banter”.
The investigation concluded Rafiq was the “victim of racial harassment and bullying”. But Yorkshire has since said no disciplinary action would be taken against any individuals, which has sparked an angry response from Rafiq.
MP Julian Knight, chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee, has dubbed it “one of the most repellent and disturbing episodes in modern cricket history.”
Posting on Twitter he added: “Given the endemic racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, I struggle to think of any reason why that the board should remain in post.”
Knight’s comments came after UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid called for “heads to roll” at Yorkshire and said that if the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) did not take action “it’s not fit for purpose.”
He further added in a Twitter post that the term allegedly used to describe Rafiq was “not banter”.
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has also weighed in, calling Rafiq’s treatment “disgusting” and said “the investigation that followed only makes it even worse”.
The ECB has begun its own investigation and a spokesman for the organisation said: “Last week we received Yorkshire CCC’s report into the racism and bullying allegations Azeem Rafiq made against the club.
”We are conscious about the length of time that Azeem has waited for resolution and the toll that must be taking on his wellbeing and that of his family. We are sorry that, as a sport, this has not yet been resolved.
”We will conduct a full regulatory process that is fair to all parties, but also ensure this happens as quickly as possible.
”We are aware the [DCMS] Select Committee have called Yorkshire’s Chair, Roger Hutton to give evidence. In the meantime, we will press ahead with our investigation.”
The DCMS committee said it wanted to quiz Hutton about the handling of the club’s investigation and wants “a much fuller explanation than we have had so far”.
Last year Rafiq claimed “institutional racism” at the club left him close to taking his own life. Seven of the 43 allegations were upheld in a report by an independent panel.
Hutton apologised to Rafiq, who left the club in 2018, saying there was “no question” that during his first spell at the club he had been “the victim of racial harassment.”
The Emerald publishing group – the county’s primary sponsor which has naming rights at Headingley Stadium – has now said it is “dismayed” by the outcome of the Rafiq investigation.
In a statement to the BBC, the group said: “Whilst the club has offered its unreserved apology for this, and has made a number of positive changes in the intervening years, there is clearly still a great deal more to do.”
