An independent report found Azeem Rafiq to be a victim of “racial harassment and bullying”.
London, United Kingdom:
Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq shed tears as he told British MPs on Tuesday he had lost his career to racism, in a compelling testimony detailing widespread discrimination within the English game.
An independent report found the Pakistan-born player was the victim of “racial harassment and bullying” while playing for the county club, but said it would not discipline anyone – a decision welcomed with widespread distrust.
The fallout for Yorkshire over the scandal has been disastrous, with sponsors mass exodus, the resignations of top administrators, the suspension of a coach and the club being barred from hosting lucrative international matches.
Tuesday’s hearing of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee gave Rafiq the opportunity to speak with the protection of parliamentary privilege – a freedom that protected him from legal action and which he described as “isolated and humiliated”. How does it feel?
“Me and others from an Asian background… there were comments like ‘you’ll sit there by the toilet’, ‘elephant-washers’,” said 30-year-old Rafiq.
The word “Paki” was used continuously. And it seemed that the organization had the approval of the leaders and no one has stamped it.
The off-spinner, who dreamed of playing for England, said institutional racism affects cricket “up and down the country”.
– ‘Inhumane’ treatment –
Rafiq, who is a Muslim, also narrated an experience of being “fallen behind” and forced to drink alcohol when he was at his local cricket club at the age of 15.
And in a highly emotional section of his testimony, which lasted nearly 100 minutes, he spoke of “inhumane” treatment by Yorkshire when his son was born in 2017.
“They weren’t really bothered about the fact that I was in training one day and I got a call to say there was no heartbeat,” he said, his voice cracking.
Rafiq, who played twice for Yorkshire, said: “Can I believe I have lost my career to racism? Yes, I do.”
He also cited several former teammates, including former England internationals Matthew Hoggard, Tim Bresnan and Gary Balance, who is still at Yorkshire, who had used racial slurs towards him.
“‘Kevin’ was something Gary used to use in a very derogatory way for just about any color,” he said. “It was an open secret in the England dressing room.”
Rafiq, who said he had refused to sign a confidentiality form and take payment from Yorkshire, said 2005 Ashes winner Hoggard had apologized to him for his comments.
– ‘sad’ –
He also said that he found it “painful” that England Test captain Joe Root, who spent his career in Yorkshire, had never seen anything of a racist nature at the club.
“Ruty is a nice person. She never used racist language,” Rafique said.
“I found it sad because Ruthie was Gary’s (Balance) housewife and was involved in a lot of socializing where I was called ‘Paki’.”
Rafiq also said that former England batsman and coach David Lloyd had made derogatory remarks about him and Asian cricketers in general, such as “getting membership from Asian players is like bleeding a stone”.
Lloyd apologized via Twitter on Tuesday about his “private” October 2020 comments, the 74-year-old saying: “I am deeply sorry for my actions, and I call on Azeem and the Asian cricket community to do more I sincerely apologize for this. No offense has been committed.”
On Monday, current England spinner Adil Rashid joined former Pakistan Test player Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, alleging that former England captain Michael Vaughan said in 2009 in front of a group of Yorkshire players of Asian ethnicity Was: “To many of you, we need to do something about it.”
Vaughan declined to comment “obviously”.
When asked about Vaughan, Rafiq said, “Michael might not remember it… the three of us, Adil, me and Rana remember it.”
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