Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) have been suspended from internet hosting worldwide or main matches over their dealing with of allegations of racism by former participant Azeem Rafiq, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) mentioned on Thursday.
Rafiq, a participant of Pakistani descent and a former captain of the England Under-19s, mentioned final 12 months he was made to really feel like an outsider at Yorkshire and contemplated taking his personal life. “It is clear … that YCCC’s handling of the issues raised by Azeem Rafiq is wholly unacceptable and is causing serious damage to the reputation of the game,” the ECB mentioned in an announcement.
“The ECB find this matter abhorrent and against the spirit of cricket and its values.”Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance, who mentioned on Wednesday that he had used racist language in the direction of his former crew mate Rafiq, has additionally been indefinitely suspended from England choice.
ECB Board assertion on Yorkshire County Cricket Club
— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) November 4, 2021
“Before any regulatory investigation is complete, the Board wishes to take immediate action in relation to Gary Ballance,” the ECB mentioned.”While Mr Ballance has not been chosen to play for England since 2017, he can be suspended indefinitely from choice.
This place can be reviewed following the ECB regulatory investigation into his conduct.”The ECB mentioned it could maintain Yorkshire to account over their dealing with of the matter and contemplate sanctions together with however not restricted to monetary and future match allocations on the finish of its investigation.”In the meantime, YCCC are suspended from internet hosting worldwide or main matches till it has clearly demonstrated that it might meet the requirements anticipated of a global venue, ECB member and First Class County,” the ECB mentioned. Reuters has contacted the membership, whose Headingley stadium is used often for England’s check and restricted overs matches, for remark.
SPONSORSHIP HIT
Several sponsors have ended their partnerships with Yorkshire following an impartial report into allegations of racism made by Rafiq, with Nike saying on Thursday that it has cancelled a four-year deal that was signed in March.
“Nike will no longer be the kit supplier for Yorkshire CCC. We stand firmly against racism and discrimination of any kind,” Nike mentioned in an announcement reported by British media. Emerald Group Publishing, Yorkshire Tea and Tetley Bitter, amongst others sponsors, have additionally mentioned they may finish their relationships with the membership.
Yorkshire mentioned final month that they might not take motion nL1N2RO1Q9 in opposition to staff, gamers or executives following the report, which discovered Rafiq had been a sufferer of racial harassment and bullying in his first spell on the county from 2008-14. The 30-year-old Rafiq and senior Yorkshire executives have been referred to as to offer proof earlier than a parliamentary Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) panel on Nov. 16.
DCMS Committee Chair Julian Knight mentioned in an announcement on Thursday that the punishment meted out by the ECB was overdue.”The ECB’s motion in taking worldwide cricket away from Yorkshire ought to act as a brief, sharp shock to convey the membership to its senses.”Like the remainder of us, I think about the members of Yorkshire County Cricket Club can be questioning why the board remains to be in place.”
VAUGHAN DENIAL
Former Yorkshire and England captain Michael Vaughan has revealed that he was named within the YCCC report however “totally denies any allegation of racism”.Vaughan mentioned he was alleged to have informed Rafiq and two different Asian gamers as they walked onto the sector collectively that there have been “too many of you lot, we need to do something about it”.He denies making the remark.”It is evident that Azeem has endured so much,” Vaughan wrote in a column for The Daily Telegraph.
Michael Vaughan: I’m named within the Azeem Rafiq report – however I completely deny any accusation of racism
(Free to learn within the UK for the following two hours)https://t.co/jXodEkVwHN
— Telegraph Sport (@TelegraphSport) November 4, 2021
“It is not only right but essential that his experiences and his perspective are heard. There are unquestionably lessons to be learned.”Yorkshire have handled this terribly. It is an efficient cricket membership and … I hope I could be a part of the motion to rebrand the membership and other people will ultimately look again on this time and say it modified for the higher.”
