Nadine Osman

Former Cricketer Azeem Rafiq has testified to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee that English cricket is “institutionally“ racist and that using racist language was the norm during his time at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

In an emotional and comprehensive account, Rafiq, 30, said the scale of the issue is “scary” and there had been “denials, briefings, cover-ups, smearing” of a problem he says is so prevalent in cricket that it’s costing England “a hell of a lot of talent”.

Rafiq also called on the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) “to make tangible change” claiming that British Asian representation in professional cricket has dropped nearly 40% in the last decade.
Rafiq was giving evidence to MPs on November 13 after an internal report found he was a victim of “racial harassment and bullying”, but the club said they would discipline no one.

Rafiq said that racism cost him his career, but he now wants “acceptance, an apology, understanding, and let’s try to work together to ensure it never happens again.”

He said racist language, aimed at his and others’ Pakistani heritage, was so often dismissed as “banter” that it “became the norm” to the point that it was used unchallenged in front of teammates and coaches.
Rafiq said he was “in denial” about the problem during most of his first spell at Yorkshire, up until 2014. He thought “things had changed” when he returned in 2016, but the atmosphere became “toxic” after Gary Ballance took over as captain later that year.

He told the panel he experienced bigotry in the sport aged just 15 when he was held down by a senior player at his local cricket club and red wine was poured into his mouth.

Yorkshire’s former Chairman Roger Hutton who offered his “profound apologies” to Rafiq, told the Committee Yorkshire’s Director of Cricket, Martyn Moxon, and former Chief Executive, Mark Arthur, “failed to accept the gravity of the situation”.

“They have not wanted to apologise or take the recommendations of the panel going forward,” he added. Hutton also backed Rafiq’s conclusion that the sport was institutionally racist.
Former Yorkshire academy players Irfan Amjad and Tabassum Bhatti have alleged they received racist abuse while at the club.

Inhumane treatment

Rafiq said he was subjected to “inhuman” treatment after the death of his son because the club was “blinded” to how they should treat him after he raised a complaint about former England player Tim Bresnan in 2017.

Rafiq said that the day after his son died, Moxon “ripped shreds” off him in a way he never addressed anyone else at the club. He said he was part of a group of “six or seven” players who complained about Bresnan, who now plays for Warwickshire, after which he said the club saw him as a “trouble-maker”.
He added he was the only player of colour in that group and was “the only one to get repercussions”.
Rafiq added that head coach Gale’s attitude towards the death of his son was that he was “making it more than what it is” and that “hardly anyone” asked after his and his wife’s wellbeing.

Rafiq said his wife “has and continues to struggle” and that his two young children “have not had a dad because all I have been worried about is Yorkshire going out to discredit me and how I am going to deal with it”.

Warwickshire said the report included allegations of bullying against Rafiq by Bresnan regarding comments Bresnan made about Rafiq’s weight.

They said: “We have spoken to Tim about this and he admits making such a comment. We understand there was no substantiated suggestion of racism against Tim, but he is devastated to learn of the impact of his comments.”

Bresnan responded in a statement, stating: “I have been made aware of the bullying claims made against me and have listened to Azeem Rafiq’s account of his time at Yorkshire CCC today with great distress, as I’m sure everyone will have done.

“For any part I played in contributing to Azeem Rafiq’s experience of feeling bullied at Yorkshire, I apologise unreservedly.”

Gale is currently suspended as part of an investigation into a tweet he sent in 2010. Moxon is currently absent from work because of a “stress-related illness” and Yorkshire said he “will be given the necessary support”.

Yorkshire batter Gary Ballance, who played 23 Tests for England, said earlier this month he “regrets” using racist language towards Rafiq, who he regarded as his “best mate in cricket”.
Rafiq said he became friends with Zimbabwe-born Ballance when he joined Yorkshire from Derbyshire in 2008 because he felt he was a fellow “outsider” but that their relationship deteriorated around 2013 because of Ballance’s “conduct” and that his “behaviour was so disgusting” Rafiq raised it with an agent they shared.

He added that Ballance used the name Kevin as a “derogatory” term to refer to any player of colour, and this was an “open secret”, including within the England dressing room. Rafiq said that England batter Alex Hales named his dog Kevin “because it’s black”.

He added that India batter Cheteshwar Pujara was called ‘Steve’ by coaches, players and the Yorkshire website after bowler Jack Brooks, who now plays for Somerset, started calling Pujara that because he could not pronounce his first name. Pujara said that he disliked being called Steve.

Implicating household Cricket names

Rafiq alleges former England captain and BBC pundit Michael Vaughan said “too many of you lot, we need to do something about it” to him and three other Asian players in 2009,

England bowler Adil Rashid and former Pakistan bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan have corroborated the allegation, which Vaughan “completely and categorically denies”.

“It was a long time ago. He might not remember it because it doesn’t mean anything to him,” explained Rafiq.

England Test captain Joe Root said the Yorkshire racism scandal has “fractured our game and torn lives apart” but that he could not recall any instance of racism.Rafiq said Root’s statement was “hurtful” because he was ‘Balance’s housemate and was on nights out when racist language directed at his Pakistani heritage was used.

“Joe might not remember it but that shows just how normal it was – even a good man like him can’t see it for what it is,” he said.

Rafiq also said that Sky Sports commentator David Lloyd made offensive remarks about Asian cricketers after Rafiq spoke about his experiences on television.

He said there were “high-profile” media people “messaging other members of the media who have supported me, saying stuff like: ‘Well, a clubhouse is the lifeblood of a club, and Asian players don’t go there.’”

Rafiq subsequently identified that person as Lloyd, who is also a former Lancashire captain and England player and later coach,

In response, Lloyd said he “deeply regrets” his actions. “I apologise most sincerely to Azeem and the Asian community for doing this, and for any offence caused,” he added. Sky said in a statement it was “investigating the comments” attributed to Lloyd and that it was “committed to actively championing inclusion in cricket – and in all sports – and opposing all forms of discrimination”.

Hutton and Arthur have subsequently resigned, with Hutton’s replacement as Chair, Lord Patel, apologising “unreservedly” and settling the employment tribunal with Rafiq.

Yorkshire have been suspended from hosting international matches by the ECB and several of Yorkshire’s sponsors, including Nike, Yorkshire Tea, Tetley’s beer, and David Lloyd, the leisure club operator, ended partnerships or said they would not continue.

Essex County Club

Essex County are also facing racism allegations and encouraging those that have experienced discrimination to come forward after their former players Zoheb Sharif and Maurice Chambers have both alleged they suffered racist abuse at the club.

Sharif said he had been called a “bomber” and “curry muncher” when he entered the changing room of Essex Cricket Club in 2001.

“So when I made my debut, I was unfortunate enough to make my debut the day after the September 11 attacks. And I was labelled bomber straightaway coming into the changing room, and it was made worse than the fact that it was raining during the game so we spent a lot of time in the changing room. So that bomber nickname just stuck.”

He added, “When I came in it was bomber and this you know this didn’t stop this went on for all the time that was there. Then that transition to curry muncher, just a term that was used.”

Essex Chairman John Faragher resigned earlier this month following an allegation he used racist language in a 2017 board meeting, which he denies.

Essex Cricket chief executive John Stephenson said, “I am extremely disappointed to hear of further historic racial allegations from a former player about two of his teammates and an ex-member of staff, none of whom are currently involved with the club in any capacity”.