The former spinner names former England players Matthew Hoggard and Tim Bresnan, accuses David Lloyd of smearing him and says Test captain Joe Root denying he heard racist language as "strange" during his testimony in Westminster
Azeem Rafiq has outlined further details regarding the racial harassment he endured across two spells at Yorkshire.
Rafiq, speaking under parliamentary privilege at a DCMS hearing, produced an emotional and harrowing testimony on Tuesday (November 16) and broke down on several occasions during a session lasting nearly two hours.
The 30-year-old implicated former England players Matthew Hoggard and Tim Bresnan and levelled a number of additional charges at Gary Ballance, who had previously been revealed as being named in the report into allegations of systematic racism.
He also accused ex-England coach and Sky Sports commentator David Lloyd of being part of a smear campaign against him and said Test captain Joe Root's claim that he had not heard racist language as "strange".
"I felt isolated, humiliated at times," he began. "On tour, Gary Ballance walked over and said: 'Why are you talking to him?' Going past a corner shop, I was asked if my uncle owned it.
"Martyn Moxon (Yorkshire director of cricket) and Andrew Gale (Yorkshire head coach and former captain) were there. It never got stamped out.
"In 2017 we went through a difficult pregnancy and the treatment I received was inhumane. I got a call to say there was no heartbeat."
The strongest allegations were labelled at Ballance, who had previously admitted to calling Rafiq a 'P***'. Yorkshire initially dismissed the racial slur as banter.
"He used a racial slur in 2017 and the pre-season tour," he said. "I want to address Gary's statement. There was a narrative there that we were the best of teammates.
"When he came to the club from Derby I saw in him what I saw in myself, as an outsider.
Coach Andrew Gale is currently suspended by Yorkshire and under investigation for a historic tweet
"A lot of players called Gary things that were completely out of order, but it was such a norm that no-one said anything."
He added: "At one point his behaviour around his personal relationships was so disgusting that I raised it with an agent that we shared.
"After that we were amicable but we never shared the same relationship.
"Racism is not banter, for three people of colour on the panel, and for one to come out with an article and stands by it shows the scale of the problem."
Rafiq accused Yorkshire of ignoring complaints he made of a "pretty toxic" dressing room during his second spell at Headingley, which began in 2016 and was even persecuted by the hierarchy. In the wake of the loss of his son, he revealed how director of cricket Martyn Moxon “tore a strip” off him.
"Steve Patterson got left out pretty early on and he had the whole dressing room fighting," he said of the start of Ballance's spell as captain in 2016.
"I tried to help Gary and the team but it became evident that, even though Steve caused a lot of issues, I was going to be picked on.
"Six or seven players made a complaint about Tim Bresnan, but I was the only person to feel the repercussions."
He added: "I have been clear from the offset that I wasn't perfect. There were things I did that I felt I had to do to fit in, and I am not proud of them.
"But that has no relation to racism. I should never, ever have been treated the way I was. When I spoke, I should have been listened to.
"But Yorkshire CCC, and the game as a whole, has a problem listening to the victim. There is no 'yeah, but...' to racism. There is no 'two sides' to racism.
Gary Ballance has admitted to directing the P-word towards Rafiq
"My first incident of drinking, I was 15, I got pinned down at my local cricket club and had red wine poured down my throat. The player played for Yorkshire and Hampshire.
"I felt like I had to drink to fit in. I regret that massively, but it has no bearing on the things I was called.
"Around the loss of my son, the attitude of Andrew Gale, I was making it out to be more than what it was."
Rafiq used an example of the use of 'Steve' - directed towards overseas player Chesteshwar Pujara - and 'Kevin' as names referring exclusively to black and Asian cricketers at Yorkshire. Former Yorkshire player Jack Brooks and Alex Hales of Nottinghamshire and England were named among the allegation.
"Everyone called him (Pujara) that, high-profile players around the world, and it shows the institutional failings," says Rafiq.
"Kevin was something Gary [Ballance] used for people of colour in a derogatory manner. All the time.
"Gary and Alex Hales got very close to each other playing for England but I understand Alex went on to name his dog Kevin because it was black.
"It is disgusting how much of a joke it became."
A Somerset statement read: "Any case reported will be thoroughly investigated as it is important that we learn lessons from the past and we welcome any information on incidents that may have occurred to help us do so. We are listening. All of us as individuals have a responsibility to continue to educate ourselves to be better on issues of equality."
Rafiq accused several individuals of attempting to discredit his accounts of institutional racism at Yorkshire, naming ex-England coach Lloyd. “My life has been made hell: denials, cover-ups, smearings.
"I found it disturbing because Sky are supposedly doing this amazing work bringing racism to the front yet within a week of me speaking out, that's what I got sent to me."
Rafiq had two spells at Yorkshire between 2008 and 2014, and 2016 and 2018
England Test captain Joe Root, a Yorkshire player since 2009, insisted he had never heard racist language while at the club. Rafiq said he was "incredibly hurt" by the claim and added during the hearing the response was "strange".
"Rooty is a good man," he said. "He has never engaged in racist language. I found it hurtful because Rooty was Gary Ballance's housemate.
"Maybe he didn't remember it, but it just shows the institution that a good man like him can not remember those things."
Though Rafiq spoke about an "enjoyable" spell at Derbyshire in 2011 he is adamant that racism is institutional within cricket. He has been contacted by "quite a few" players including from Leicestershire, Middlesex and Nottinghamshire
"Until 2017, I didn't really know for what it was," he said. "I was in denial. This is how I presented my evidence as well. I spoke about instances throughout my time that show it as being institutional.
"I reported it as bullying. For me to believe I was treated in this way because of my colour is difficult to digest.
"Other people's experiences now ... and I have had lots talking about it up and down the country. The ECB has to take some responsibility too.
"It is their game, they are the regulators and their actions with the T-shirts, taking the knee - they were one of the first teams to stop that.
New chairman Lord Patel is leading a new era at Yorkshire
"They need to stop palming off to other bodies, like the NACC (National Asian Cricket Council).
"My everyday life for as long as I've known has been cricket. It's difficult to compare."
A Middlesex statement in response to the evidence given read: "With this allegation coming to light this morning, we would urge the player in question to contact the club immediately, directly to chief executive officer Andrew Cornish, to enable us to handle this matter in the strictest confidence, with the utmost speed, and as a matter of the highest urgency. Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated at Middlesex, and this matter will be fully investigated.
"Middlesex cricket wants anyone who feels they have been discriminated against to know that they should feel comfortable when speaking about and sharing their experiences, safe in the knowledge that their complaint will be listened to, handled in the most sensitive manner, and dealt with."
Rafiq had criticism for a lack of support from the Professional Cricketers' Association and the England and Wales Cricket Board from the moment he made the original allegations in August 2020.
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison contacted him but Rafiq believes it was a "tick a box" exercise.
Tellingly, the offspinner said he felt cricket had a bigger problem with racism than wider society.
"Cricket is worse than society," he added. "If we make changes in cricket, we make changes in society. Everyone is responsible for the society we live in.
"Let's sort out where we are, then hopefully it will have an impact on society."
Meanwhile, when pressed on whether he was aware of issues of racism at other clubs on the county circuit, Rafiq spoke of contact he has had from players from Middlesex, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire who have endured similar experiences.
Middlesex released a statement on Tuesday in response, which read: "With this allegation coming to light this morning, we would urge the player in question to contact the club immediately, directly to chief executive officer Andrew Cornish, to enable us to handle this matter in the strictest confidence, with the utmost speed, and as a matter of the highest urgency. Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated at Middlesex, and this matter will be fully investigated.
"Middlesex Cricket wants anyone who feels they have been discriminated against to know that they should feel comfortable when speaking about and sharing their experiences, safe in the knowledge that their complaint will be listened to, handled in the most sensitive manner, and dealt with."
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