Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton wrote that "there is no question that Azeem Rafiq, during his first spell as a player at YCCC, was the victim of racial harassment"
Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton has offered “sincere, profound and unreserved apologies” to Azeem Rafiq after the county confirmed that their former player had been the victim of racial harassment during his time at the club.
Yorkshire stopped short of publishing the full independent report into Rafiq's allegations, with concerns over possible legal action, but on Friday issued an eight-page statement addressing its outcome.
The club had been in possession of the report since August 13, having launched a full investigation 12 months ago. Its conclusions were belatedly released on Friday, a day after the Digital Culture Media and Sport committee chair Julian Knight called on the county to do so.
Hutton, who was appointed as Yorkshire’s chairman in April last year, wrote ahead of a summary of findings and recommendations that the report found that “there is no question that Azeem Rafiq, during his first spell as a player at [Yorkshire], was the victim of racial harassment”.
He added that Rafiq “was also subsequently the victim of bullying”. The full contents of the report cannot be published, Yorkshire say, because of its “responsibilities in relation to privacy law and defamation”.
Of more than 40 allegations – some spanning back to 2008 – seven were upheld, including three separate incidents of racist language being used by former players which were found to be harassment on the grounds of race, the regular use of racist language by a former coach prior to 2012, jokes made around religion which made individuals uncomfortable about their religious practices between 2016 and 2018, and a claim that in August 2018 when Rafiq raised concerns of racism “there was a failure by the club to follow its own policy or investigate these allegations”.
It was also found that Rafiq had not been provided with halal food while playing junior cricket for Yorkshire - the statement said this situation “has now been rectified” - and that, during his second spell at the county from 2016 “a former player made references to Azeem Rafiq’s weight and fitness that amounted to bullying”.
Azeem Rafiq made the allegations last summer
The report also accepted that “on a number of occasions prior to 2018 the club could have done more to make Muslims more welcome within their stadiums and should have dealt better with complaints of racist or anti-social behaviour within those stadiums”.
On the allegation of institutional racism at the county, however, the panel concluded “that it could not reach a finding…on the basis of insufficient evidence, and the panel was not reaching a conclusion that there was no evidence of institutional racism”.
In response, a spokesperson for Rafiq said: “We note that Yorkshire County Cricket Club has confirmed Azeem was the victim of racism and bullying during his two spells at Headingley.
“However, we must highlight the atrocious way this process continues to be handled. Azeem was not given any notice of this morning’s statement – he received a copy only a couple of minutes before the media.
“Azeem and his team ae not in a position to properly understand the club’s conclusions and how they reached them, because Yorkshire has not provided a copy of the report. This is clearly unacceptable and an abuse of process.
“What is clear is that Yorkshire County Cricket Club admits racism and bullying has taken place on many occasions, yet won’t accept the obvious – that this is an institutional problem.”
Rafiq was released by Yorkshire for a second time in 2018
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison added that the organisation would be working their way through the report as a regulator – not just a governing body and “taking a view on what further action is required there”.
Speaking to Test Match Special, he added: “But what is really clear – and it’s appropriate now to underline Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s statement there around an apology to Azeem Rafiq and what he has clearly been subjected to at times during his cricket career – is that there is no place in this game for racism.”
In a separate statement, ECB chair Ian Watmore said: “No one should have to experience racism or discrimination in cricket, and it is very concerning that the independent panel has upheld a number of allegations and concluded that historically Azeem Rafiq was the victim of racial harassment and of bullying during his time at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
“It is clear that the game owes him an apology and we are happy to offer that apology to him. There is simply no place for racism in cricket, and what Azeem experienced was unacceptable. The ECB has only seen the statement and summary report for the first time today, so we will now examine the contents in detail to decide what further action is required.”
A total of 29 interviews were conducted from 26 witnesses over the course of the investigation, while further evidence was provided via email correspondence.
The report stated that “the ability to make conclusive findings one way or another” was impacted by “many individuals” declining to participate in the investigation.
The independent panel concluded all decisions relating to Rafiq’s selection and departure from Yorkshire had been for sporting reasons.
Hutton said: “There were a great many people at the club who cared deeply for Azeem and who worked extremely hard over a long period to develop and assist him, both personally and professionally, and who celebrated his successes and championed him at the club. And there were others that worked exceptionally hard with him on his cricket, particularly when he struggled for form.
“I am confident the responsible way that the report has been received by the whole club, together with the clear and collective determination to enthusiastically embrace its recommendations, is an important moment in our journey to become more thoughtful, more inclusive and to make sure that every aspect of the club fully lives up to the spirit of the great game of cricket.”
Posted by Marc Evans on 16/09/2021 at 13:08
Just 2 comments. If those typical dressing room banter style comments about weight and fitness had been made about a white player would it have required any type of investigation. We don't know the exact nature of the comments so there may be more to it. There is no doubt that Yorkshire have been embarrassed by this in the present very touchy environment but it comes as no surprise as having lived and worked up north racial entrenchment is a much more widespread problem than further south. Hopefully with youngsters integrating more with each generation there won't be such a divide in the future, but all groups are responsible for this, not just the indigenous white community.
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