Sponsors walk amidst race row report at YCCC

The title sponsor of Headingley Stadium home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC), is just one of the sponsors to cut ties with the club amidst the ongoing racism case involving former player Azeem Rafiq.

The club last week announced that no disciplinary action would be taken against any of its employees, players or executives in the wake of a report which concluded Rafiq had suffered racial harassment at the club. But has since faced increasing pressure from both local and national figures including health secretary Sajid Javid who tweeted “heads should roll” after a leaked copy of the report referred to the racism as “banter” according to an article by ESPN.

Emerald Publishing which is based in Bingley has said it has ended its association with YCCC having held the naming rights to Headingley since 2017. The company noted that it doesn’t “tolerate any form of racism or discriminatory behaviour and the damaging effects this has”.

It added that it intended to continue its financial commitment to the stadium itself which it highlighted “is also the home of Leeds Rhinos rugby”.

The statement ended: “We hope that YCCC will listen and respond with serious action to eradicate racism from the club and uphold the values we all expect.”

Emerald however aren’t the only sponsor to step away from the historic cricket club, with Yorkshire Tea and shirt sponsors Anchor Butter also ending their association with the team.

Yorkshire Tea noted that the association would be naturally coming to an end but that it had “taken the decision to end it with immediate effect”.

A statement added: “We [Yorkshire Tea] wholeheartedly believe that cricket should be a sport for everyone, but his experiences and the way the panel report has been handled don’t reflect that.”

Anchor Butter were one of the first to distance themselves from the club with the Arla brand ending its sponsorship on Tuesday evening.

Other brands following suit include Tetley’s Beer David Lloyd Clubs and Age Partnership, as pressure mounts and over 30 of the region’s politicians including both metro mayors wrote to the England and Wales Cricket Board demanding an independent inquiry to ensure “this degrading incident is not repeated”.

Dan Jarvis mayor of South Yorkshire tweeted about the letter noting that: “Cricket is an institution in Yorkshire which everyone should be able to enjoy.”

This is the latest development in a case which dates back over a year, with the cricket club first responding to Rafiq’s allegation last September and committed to a formal investigation.

Since then the club has faced pressure from Rafiq’s lawyer who noted the club risked “legitimising racism” as it delayed revealing the findings of the investigation.

However in August this year the club issued an apology after the investigation confirmed that the Rafiq was “the victim of inappropriate behaviour”.

At the time Yorkshire County Cricket Club chair, Roger Hutton, said: “I would like to acknowledge Azeem’s courage in raising these issues, and his participation in the investigation, which I understand must have been very difficult. I would also like to express my sincere apology to him for certain failings by the Club, which have been highlighted by the Panel.”

Hutton alongside the club’s chief executive Mark Arthur and its director of cricket Martyn Moxon have now been called to attend the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee hearing later this month on 16 November.

Yesterday, ex-England international Gary Ballance said he “regrets” using racist language towards Rafiq while the pair were both players at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

“It has been reported that I used a racial slur and, as I told the independent enquiry, I accept that I did so and I regret doing so,” said Ballance. “To be clear – I deeply regret some of the language I used in my younger years.”