Azeem Rafiq: Former Yorkshire players and staff support claims in investigation

Former Yorkshire bowler Azeem Rafiq has welcomed support from ex-players and staff following his claims of institutional racism at the county after a number of people provided evidence to the ongoing independent investigation into the club.

Rafiq left Yorkshire in 2018 but gave evidence last month alleging he had been subjected to racist language but also highlighted problems with the club’s overall culture and structure.

Rana Naveed-ul-Hassan, an ex-Pakistan international who played for Yorkshire in 2008 and 2009, provided a statement saying he agreed with “each and every statement of Azeem” and that “many Asian players were affected by their (YCCC) bad attitude”.

Both Rana and former West Indies fast bowler Tino Best, who spent a summer with the club in 2010, have spoken publicly about their concerns but Rafiq has also been supported by two previous members of staff.

Taj Butt worked with the Yorkshire Foundation for three years from 2014 and highlighted the treatment of Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara in the evidence he has provided.

“They called every person of colour ‘Steve’. Even Indian Test player Cheteshwar Pujara, who joined as an overseas professional, was called Steve because they could not pronounce his name,” he said.

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Meanwhile, Tony Bowry, who served as cultural diversity officer at the Yorkshire Cricket Board between 1996 and 2011, claims the environment for young players was a testing one.

He said: “Many youngsters struggled to make progress, and the few that did found the environment of the dressing rooms very difficult as a direct result of racism they faced, it affected performance.”

Last month the ECB introduced new measures to encourage diversity in English cricket, including a new equality code of conduct and A Forum for Race in Cricket, an initiative which Yorkshire publicly supported saying they wanted “to be part of ensuring meaningful change across the game”.

Rafiq has welcomed the early progress made by the game’s governing body and the commitment from Yorkshire to improve moving forward.

“I’m grateful to the ECB for following-up after reading my submitted evidence by reviewing the way it promotes multi-culturalism and tackles racism in cricket, while YCCC has clearly acknowledged the issues I raised by endorsing those measures,” Rafiq said.

“Part of the problem I faced was that my concerns and complaints fell on deaf ears. I raised complaints about racism, including with the head of diversity, and no-one took action. The key to change is to listen and then to keep listening.”

Yorkshire have been contacted for comment.

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