Azeem Rafiq in tears as he described “institutionally” racist experiences at Yorkshire County Cricket Club

Cricketer Azeem Rafiq was reduced to tears this afternoon as he spoke to a committee of MPs in Westminster about the racist experiences he had suffered whilst at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Speaking to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, the former all-rounder, ex-England U-19s and Yorkshire captain said that racial slurs had been used “constantly” whilst he played for Yorkshire and that English cricket is “institutionally”

He also told the committee that the club’s treatment of him following the still-born death of his son in 2017 had been “inhuman”.

He said that during his time at Headingley the word p*** was used “constantly”, leaving him feeling “humiliated” and “isolated”.

“Pretty early on, me and other people from an Asian background…there were comments such as ‘you’ll sit over there near the toilets’, ‘elephant washers’.

“The word P*** was used constantly. And there just seemed to be an acceptance in the institution from the leaders and no one ever stamped it out.”

He also told MPs on the committee about how aged 15 and a practising Muslim, he was pinned down by a senior cricket player who poured wine into his mouth.

He said he did not drink again until 2012, at which point he started in order to “fit in” at Yorkshire – adding that he “wasn’t perfect” and was “not proud” of some of the things he did whilst under the influence of alcohol.

This, however, holds “no relation” to the relation he was subjected to whilst on the Yorkshire team, he added.

Mr Rafiq first filed a complaint of racism against the club in September 2020, which led to the Yorkshire Cricket Club launching its own internal investigation.

This report, however, ultimately concluded that the slurs used against him were ‘banter’ – sparking public outrage.

Mr Rafiq contested this today, saying “P*** is not banter, racism is not banter,”

“The game as a whole really has a problem in listening to the victim.

“It’s been gaslighting, it’s been ‘yeah but’.

“There is no ‘yeah, but’ to racism.”

In a wide-ranging testimony, Mr Rafiq also added that all he wanted to do was realise his “dream” of playing for England and that he was “in denial” about the scale of the issue up until 2014.

He also said that he thought “things had changed” when he returned in 2016, but the atmosphere became “toxic” when Gary Ballance took over as captain later in the year.

Mr Rafiq also said that racism was a problem in sport “up and down to country”, before adding:

“If Yorkshire had seen this as an opportunity to become the leaders in the space, an opportunity to make a real difference in society and the game this could have gone a completely different direction”.

 

Feature image – Parliament TV