Cricket world horrified by star’s ‘disgusting’ revelations

The damning allegations of former cricketer Azeem Rafiq has stunned not only the sporting community, but even the British Prime Minister.

Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq fighting back tears while testifying in front of a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee in London.

Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq fought back tears as he told British lawmakers he had lost his career to racism, detailing widespread discrimination within the English game as he provided compelling testimony.

An independent report found the Pakistan-born player was a victim of “racial harassment and bullying” while playing for the county club but said it would not discipline anybody — a decision greeted with widespread disbelief.

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The fallout for Yorkshire over the scandal has been devastating, with sponsors making a mass exodus, resignations from top administrators, the suspension of a coach and the club barred from hosting lucrative international matches.

Tuesday’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee hearing offered Rafiq the chance to speak with the protection of parliamentary privilege — a freedom that protects him from legal action and which he used to recount how he felt “isolated and humiliated”.

“Me and other people from an Asian background … there were comments such as, ‘You’ll sit over there near the toilets’, ‘elephant-washers’,” the 30-year-old Rafiq said.

“The word ‘P**i’ was used constantly. And there just seemed to be an acceptance in the institution from the leaders and no one ever stamped it out.”

The off-spinner, who had dreamt of playing for England, said cricket was blighted by institutional racism “up and down the country”.

Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq testifying in front of a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee in London.

Rafiq, who is a Muslim, also recounted an experience of being “pinned down” and forced to drink alcohol at the age of 15 when he was at his local cricket club.

And in an highly emotional segment of his evidence, which lasted nearly 100 minutes, he spoke of the “inhuman” treatment by Yorkshire when his son was stillborn in 2017.

“They weren’t really bothered about the fact that I was at training one day and I get a phone call to say there’s no heartbeat,” he said, his voice cracking.

Rafiq, who had two spells at Yorkshire, said: “Do I believe I lost my career to racism? Yes, I do.”

He also mentioned a number of former teammates, including ex-England internationals Matthew Hoggard, Tim Bresnan and Gary Ballance, the latter still at Yorkshire, had used racial slurs towards him.

“‘Kevin’ was something Gary used to describe anyone of colour in a very derogatory manner,” he said. “It was an open secret in the England dressing room.”

Rafiq alleged Alex Hales called his pet dog Kevin “because it was black”.

“It’s disgusting just how much of a joke it was,” he said.

Rafiq, who said he had refused to sign a confidentiality form and take a pay-off from Yorkshire, added 2005 Ashes winner Hoggard had apologised to him for his comments.

He also said he found it “hurtful” that England Test captain Joe Root, who has spent his career at Yorkshire, said he had never witnessed anything of a racist nature at the club.

“Rooty is a good man. He never engaged in racist language,” Rafiq said. “I found it hurtful because Rooty was Gary’s housemate and had been involved in a lot of the socialising where I was called a ‘P**i’.”

Rafiq also said former England batsman and coach David Lloyd had made derogatory remarks about him and Asian cricketers in general, such as “getting subs (subscriptions) out of Asian players is like getting blood out of stone”.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club has lost sponsors and the right to host international cricket. Photo by OLI SCARFF / AFP

Lloyd apologised via Twitter on Tuesday, with the 74-year-old saying of his “private” October 2020 comments: “I deeply regret my actions, and I apologise most sincerely to Azeem and to the Asian cricket community for doing this, and for any offence caused.”

Rafiq was scathing in his assessment of diversity initiatives by the England and Wales Cricket Board, saying they were “box-ticking” and “tokenism”.

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, who faced an intense grilling from the MPs, admitted the organisation had failed Rafiq, saying tackling racism would be a priority.

“We will fix it fast,” he said. “We know the survival of our sport depends on it. We will transform this game very quickly.”

World reacts to horrifying testimony

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said cricket authorities must take action quickly to stamp out racism.

“Brave testimony from Azeem Rafiq. I commend him for speaking out,” Johnson tweeted.

“There is no excuse for racism anywhere in society and we expect England Cricket and Yorkshire County Cricket Club to take immediate action in response to these allegations.”

Go and watch some of the testimony given by Azeem Rafiq at the select committee hearing into racism in English cricket.

It is disgusting. It is disturbing. It is heartbreaking.

His courage is to be admired.

Change will come of it.

— Andrew Gourdie (@AndrewGourdie) November 16, 2021

The bravery of #AzeemRafiq, in standing up to racism on such a major platform today, is both humbling and inspiring.
Cricket, and this country as a whole, must learn from his experiences and do so much better.

— Dan Levene (@danlevene) November 16, 2021

Azeem Rafiq’s brave testimony today highlights the racist rot at the heart of English cricket.

No one should face the vile racism Azeem did at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Urgent action is needed against institutional racism in cricket and in wider society.

— Richard Burgon MP (@RichardBurgon) November 16, 2021

What @AzeemRafiq30 is doing today is providing a reality check & holding up a mirror not just to Yorkshire or English cricket but our society in general. As painful as it must be for him to relive all this, he’s putting himself on the line for our sake. He’s a winner #Hero

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) November 16, 2021

In a statement, Bresnan said: “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.

“Following the publication of Azeem’s witness statement from the employment tribunal, which I saw for the first time this afternoon, I must though categorically deny his accusation that I ‘frequently made racist comments’.

“This is absolutely not true.”

Sports writer Vithushan Ehantharajah tweeted: “Azeem Rafiq’s evidence today highlighted an aspect of cricket that has long infuriated me: there are many who turn a blind eye to racism, often cosying up to those people if they have power — encouraging & excusing them — to get ahead.”

Sky reporter Kate McCann posted: “Utterly heartbreaking listening to Azeem Rafiq say things got so bad after the racism he suffered that he left the UK and never wanted to come back, through tears. Everyone needs to hear his story.”

Politician Zarah Sultana tweeted: “Listening to Azeem Rafiq’s testimony this morning was heartbreaking. His teammates held him down & forced wine down his throat as a teenager. He was constantly called P**i. And he was clear: This isn’t about a few individuals. It’s institutional racism.”

With AFP