Gary Ballance suspended from England selection following revelations in Azeem Rafiq case

Ballance, who last represented England in 2017, was named in a report by the Daily Mail on Wednesday as the senior player who had called Rafiq a ‘Paki’

Gary Ballance has been suspended from representing England after confirming he was the player who used a racial slur against Azeem Rafiq.

Ballance, who last represented England in 2017, was named in a report by the Daily Mail on Wednesday as the senior player who had called Rafiq a ‘Paki’.

The ECB announced on Thursday that Ballance would not be available for selection for the national team until a full investigation into his actions had taken place.

A statement released by the governing body read: "While Mr Ballance has not been selected to play for England since 2017, he will be suspended indefinitely from selection. This position will be reviewed following the ECB regulatory investigation into his conduct."

It is the second time this year the ECB has suspended a player for their past conduct, after Ollie Robinson was banned for eight matches - five of them suspended for two years - in response to racist and sexist tweets sent when he was a teenager.

The action relating to Ballance came following a meeting of the ECB board on Thursday afternoon to discuss the Rafiq case.

Ballance addressed the issue in a statement released via Yorkshire on Wednesday night.

“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,” he said. “To be clear - I deeply regret some of the language I used in my younger years.”

^{Gary Ballance last played for England in 2017}

He claims that the comments were made in “a situation where best friends said offensive things to each other which, outside of that context, would be considered wholly inappropriate”.

“I am aware of how hurtful the racial slur is and I regret that I used this word in immature exchanges in my younger years and I am sure Rafa feels the same about some of the things he said to me as well.”

Ballance described Rafiq as his “closest friend and supporter in cricket”, adding that the pair had begun their careers at Yorkshire at similar times, played club cricket for Barnsley together and had been on several tours. Rafiq previously stayed in his family’s home in Zimbabwe.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire have been suspended from hosting major ECB matchdays - including all international cricket and the knockout stages of The Hundred - pending a governance review.

The ECB said the county should not be allowed to hold the events until it can prove "it can meet the standards expected of an international venue, ECB member and first-class county".

The statement concluded: "The board reiterated its unwavering commitment to ensuring that cricket is a game for everyone. Discrimination of any kind on the field of play, in the dressing room, in the stands, or in the boardroom is intolerable in sport or indeed, society. Cricket must work together to eradicate it."

RELATED STORIES

Yorkshire chairman resigns over Azeem Rafiq scandal

Michael Vaughan confirms he is named in Azeem Rafiq report but denies accusations of racism

Yorkshire suspended from hosting international cricket

Gary Ballance suspended from representing England after admitting to using racial slur