Referring to . Azeem Rafiqs first complaints to Yorkshire came almost six years ago. "In one of my first few games, we were going onto the field at Trent Bridge and there was me, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naved and one of the senior players said: 'there's too many of you lot, it's something we need to have a word about'. Azeem Rafiq has settled his employment tribunal case with Yorkshire amid praise and an apology from Kamlesh Patel, the new chair of the club, for lifting the lid on the racism he encountered while a player at Headingley. Chris West (Chairman) Chris is a born and bred Yorkshireman, being a former career banker who held a number of senior Corporate Manager positions throughout the North-east. Umar Rafiq Joined the Board in 2015, Umar brings over 20 years experience of leading and managing diverse teams of people in the area of sport, recreation and social inclusion within the public and voluntary sectors. ", In response to a question by Julian Knight MP, chair of the DCMS select committee, on whether the issues he faced were "replicated" at other counties, Rafiq said: "It's a problem up and down the country.". Rafiq said he had lost his career to racism, which is a "horrible feeling" but that "hopefully" by speaking out there will be "massive change in five years' time". Yorkshire announce that no conduct or action taken by any of its employees, players or executives warrants disciplinary action. Hutton and Arthur have subsequently resigned, with Hutton's replacement as chairman, Lord Patel, apologising "unreservedly" and settling the employment tribunal with Rafiq. He claimed that British Asian representation in professional cricket since 2010 had dropped nearly 40% and that England have missed out on "a hell of a lot of talent" because Asian and black cricketers have been subjected to racism. What Azeem has done he is not doing it for any personal gain. A week after the meeting, the ECB published a 12-point, game-wide action plan on Friday to tackle racism and all forms of discrimination. Settling the employment tribunal with Rafiq, Setting up an independent whistle-blowing hotline, Commissioning a review of processes and procedures on diversity and inclusion, Sharing the full report into Rafiq's allegations with parties who have a "legal interest", including Rafiq's lawyers, the ECB and MPs. MR UMAR KHALIQ RAFIQ is a Director from Batley. She has most recently used her cricket network to create and run a successful community food bank, which is now being made into a permanent service for the Wakefield district, providing essential supplies to up to 100 households a week. Rafiq's lawyer Asma Iqbal said the delays "create a lack of faith in the entire process and means trust in the sport's ability to clean up its act is being seriously undermined". I dont think itll impact it too much, he said. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. During his second spell at Yorkshire between 2016 and 2018 there were jokes madearound religion that made individuals uncomfortable about their religious practices. The BBC stand Vaughan down from his radio show, while ex-Pakistan international Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who played for Yorkshire as an overseas player in 2008 and 2009, says he heard the alleged comment. Dec 2020: Rafiq launches legal action against Yorkshire, claiming that he suffered "discrimination and harassment on the grounds of race", and that his attempt to confront racism at the club. SAFEGUARDING Safeguarding Children The Yorkshire Cricket Board are committed to providing an environment that is safe, welcoming and friendly for children to enjoy the game of cricket. Bresnan responded in a statement, stating: "I have been made aware of the bullying claims made against me and have listened to Azeem Rafiq's account of his time at Yorkshire CCC today with great distress, as I'm sure everyone will have done. Rafiq described the decision as "inconceivable" and accused Yorkshire of protecting its members of staff, writing on Twitter that the club was "embarrassing", and accusing it of giving a "green light" to racism. Last summer Rafiq made allegations of institutional racism against the club during two spells at the club between 2008 and 2018. Six members of Yorkshire Cricket Club fired in racism scandal win unfair dismissal claims Last year, Azeem Rafiq spoke out about his experience of racism while playing for Yorkshire, telling MPs he felt "isolated, humiliated at times" due to the bombardment of racism he suffered and the "constant uses of the word p***'". "What is most troubling is that what Azeem Rafiq has experienced is not an isolated incident, in cricket or across sport more generally," he added. Rafiq subsequently identified that person as Lloyd. He said he was part of a group of "six or seven" players who complained about Bresnan, who now plays for Warwickshire, after which he said the club saw him as a "trouble-maker". Ali Martin. ', Arteta: This is not over | Lampard: Arsenal still in the title race, Sprint beef, Ferrari respite & reignited title fight | What we learnt in Baku, Papers: Zidane keen on return to management, NFL star Watt and wife Kealia invest in Burnley | 'Wrexham success the model', Klopp rages at ref Tierney again | PGMOL: Official did nothing wrong, Leeds players apologise after video of squad ignoring young fan goes viral, Azeem Rafiq enjoyed a promising start to his Yorkshire career, Rafiq details some of his allegations of institutional racism and explains how the experiences 'have stuck with him', Rafiq says there have been several difficult moments helping with Yorkshire's investigation, Rafiq questioned Yorkshire's response after the county said their former player was a 'victim of inappropriate behaviour' following his allegations of institutional racism. Ian previously served as Disciplinary Chair for the South Yorkshire Senior Cricket League. Rafiq also accused former England head coach David Lloyd of attempting to smear him. In August 2021 Yorkshire issued "profound apologies" to Rafiq after stating that the report found that he was "the victim of inappropriate behaviour", which they described as "clearly unacceptable". She works on a wide variety of projects for local, regional and national clients. June 2022: The ECB charges Yorkshire and seven individuals former England internationals Michael Vaughan, Tim Bresnan, Matthew Hoggard and Gary Ballance, the clubs former captain and head coach Andrew Gale, and coaches Pyrah and John Blain with bringing the game into disrepute, their cases to be heard by the bodys Cricket Discipline Commission. More impressive performances followed in 2017, but he was deemed surplus to requirements in 2018 and his association with the county was formally ended. Pujara said he did not like being called Steve and would. Company Active from Level of control ; SPARK SKILLS (UK) LTD . Warwickshire said the report includes allegations of bullying against Rafiq by Bresnan regarding comments Bresnan made about Rafiq's weight. Patel apologised for this stipulation being part of the clubs previous negotiations. Rafiq also called on the ECB "to make tangible change". "However, we must highlight the atrocious way this process continues to be handled. It was tough for me, it was incredibly tough for him, he said. In an emotional testimony, he also said the club gave him "inhuman" treatment after his son was still-born in 2017. In a September 2020 interview with ESPNcricinfo, Rafiq said that "deep-rooted" racism at Yorkshire had left him "close to committing suicide". Feb 2022: ECB lifts its ban on international matches at Headingley in response to the hard work and actions taken by Yorkshire County Cricket Club towards putting the club on a new path. Yorkshire County Cricket Club have accepted there was "no question" Azeem Rafiq was the victim of racial harassment and bullying during his first spell at the county. BBC Sport is approaching Yorkshire for further comment in response to today's evidence. "I apologise most sincerely to Azeem and to the Asian community for doing this, and for any offence caused," he added. Rafiq, 30, told a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee that racist language was "constantly . Azeem Rafiq is still just 29, but the name's rung around for a while. The ECB said that it was awaiting a copy of the report and commended Rafiq his "bravery", while noting its "concern" that some of the allegations were upheld. Parveen has been able to transfer these skills across to cricket specifically her committee role as the Junior Girls Lead and Coach for Bradford Park Avenue Ladies Cricket Club. Yorkshire chairman Lord Patel said it was an "incredibly difficult day" for all at the club and that Rafiq's testimony was "harrowing and upsetting". Protected by parliamentary privilege, Rafiq fought back tears as he appeared before MPs to reveal all aspects of his wide-ranging allegations of institutional racism at Yorkshire, without fear of legal reprisal. He added that Ballance used the name 'Kevin' as a "derogatory" term to refer to any player of colour and this was an "open secret", including within the England dressing room. Yorkshire batter Ballance, who played 23 Tests for England, said earlier this month he "regrets" using racist language towards Rafiq, who he regarded as his "best mate in cricket". Playing for the Ladies cricket team, watching her husband play club cricket and also playing an active part in her sons ongoing cricket journey from junior to Senior cricket has given her a rare insight into how difficult it is for women and girls to impact the mens senior and junior game. Former Yorkshire academy players Irfan Amjad and Tabassum Bhatti have alleged they received racist abuse while at the club. Patel spoke for nearly an hour at Headingley and included his own experiences of racism growing up in Bradford after his family emigrated from Kenya in the 1960s. Companies associated with this officer had at least 7,313 shareholder value in recent accounts. 4. Azeem Rafiq's allegations of institutional racism at Yorkshire have led to several resignations on the county's board, government intervention, and continue to shake English cricket. A footballing whirlwind in the eye of a tabloid storm Look at the actions taken as the Third Reich faces collapse in the final weeks of World War II, Reaction & all the evidence: Rafiq appears before MPs, All he ever wanted to do was realise his "dream" of playing for England, Racist language, including terms aimed at his and others' Pakistani heritage, was used "constantly" and "never stamped out" during his time at Yorkshire, The use of such terms was racist and not "banter" as the report had concluded, It left him feeling "isolated" and "humiliated", with racist comments made by others in front of team-mates and coaching staff but not challenged, The use of such language was so common it "became the norm" and people at the club "didn't think it was wrong", He "didn't realise" and was "in denial" about the scale of the problem during most of his first spell at Yorkshire, up until 2014, He thought "things had changed" when he returned for his second spell in 2016, But the atmosphere became "toxic" after Gary Ballance took over as captain later that year, shortly after former batter Andrew Gale replaced Jason Gillespie as head coach, Aged 15 and a practising Muslim, he was pinned down by a senior player at his local cricket club and red wine was poured into his mouth, He said he did not drink alcohol again until "around 2012" when he felt he had to "to fit in" at Yorkshire, Asked about claims he had been a "heavy drinker", he said he "wasn't perfect" and was "not proud" of some of the things he did during this time, but that these had "no relation" to the racism he was subjected to, The report into his allegations was "shoddy at best" and the panel failed to speak to key witnesses. Yorkshire's former chairman Roger Hutton subsequently addressed the committee, followed by representatives from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), including chief executive Tom Harrison. The county said its own internal investigation had concluded "that there is no conduct or action taken by any of its employees, players or executives that warrants disciplinary action". Key points included a review of dressing-room culture, diversity training for all those involved in the sport, a governance review, a drive to remove barriers to playing top-level cricket, localised equality, diversity and inclusion for clubs, counties and government bodies and examining how stadia can be made more welcoming to people from diverse backgrounds. It wasn't until August 2020, however, that he spoke publicly about alleged racism faced by him and his struggle with mental health issues in the past few years. During his second spell at the Club, a former player made references to Azeem Rafiqsweight and fitness that amounted to bullying. Heres how it all unfolded. It remains to be seen whether the controversial report into Rafiqs allegations will ever be made public, with Patel confirming it will initially go only to those with a legal interest, including the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Julian Knight MP, chair of the DCMS committee. 2. Rafiq said Root has never used racist language but he found his statement "hurtful" because Root was Ballance's housemate and was on nights out when racist language directed at his Pakistan heritage was used. Vaughan denies the allegation, Azeem Rafiq tells MPs about the names and racial slurs used in the Yorkshire and England dressing rooms (Warning: video contains offensive and upsetting content), Former cricketer Azeem Rafiq - who exposed the racism scandal within the game - has himself apologised for antisemitic messages in a message exchange with another cricketer in 2011, ECB chief Tom Harrison says he wants to lead cricket through its racism scandal and has received backing to do so, after a meeting of the sport's counties and governing bodies, England captain Joe Root says new Yorkshire director of cricket Darren Gough can pass on his experience to the next generation of players, English cricket was given a strong warning by the parliamentary committee report, Revealed: The match at centre of Vaughan-Rafiq allegations, Rafiq reveals 'suicidal' thoughts in first allegations, No resolution reached as report is delayed, Yorkshire apologise, but deny institutional racism, Summarised version of findings published - ECB 'concerned', No disciplinary action to be taken by Yorkshire, Report details leak, Yorkshire face widespread backlash, Gary Ballance would later release a statement in which he admitted he used a racial slur towards Rafiq, Resignations come as Headingley hosting duties suspended by ECB, suspended from hosting international or major matches, Rashid backs racism allegations against Vaughan, Rafiq apologises for making antisemitic comments, ECB publishes action plan after all-game meeting, Gough appointed after Moxon and Gale depart, Darren Gough is appointed as the club's managing director of cricket, Report warns of funding cut unless cricket 'cleans up its act'. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Rafiq says he suffered consistent abuse, including the use of racist language about his Pakistani heritage during his time at the club. Rob has played top level league cricket in the Bradford and Huddersfield leagues for the last 30 years, representing Spen Victoria, Kirkburton, East Bierley, Gomersal and now Lightcliffe. (modern). Rafiq said the scale of the problem is "scary" and there have been "denials, briefings, cover-ups, smearing". Kit supplier Nike, plus several of Yorkshire's sponsors, including Emerald Publishing, Yorkshire Tea, Tetley's beer and leisure club operators David Lloyd, either ended partnerships or said they would not continue deals. "It is clear that the game owes him an apology and we are happy to offer that apology to him. At the end of his session, Rafiq said his wife "has struggled and still continues" to and that his two young children "have not had a dad, really, because all I have been worried about is Yorkshire going out to discredit me and how I am going to deal with it". The ECB took the decision after it found Club's response against the racism accusations ineffective. Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, has also denied telling four players of Asian heritage Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan that there were too many of you lot, we need to do something about it in 2009. Speaking to Sky Sports News days later, Rafiq shared further details: "At my worst, I was right on the edge, stood on my balcony. Aug 2018: Rafiq first complains about racism at Yorkshire, and the club holds a formal meeting to discuss his concerns. Sep 2021: A summary of the report is published, upholding seven of 43 allegations against Yorkshire. In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications. He added he was the only player of colour in that group and was "the only one to get repercussions". The club also cited its own ongoing investigation and said it was awaiting the results and recommendations from it "early next year". Applications are opened for head coach and six non-executive director roles at the county. She has been heavily involved in turning Calder Grove CC around from being a club bordering on dissolution, to a club which is thriving on and off the field, with league successes as well as new cricket opportunities for women and children. There were calls from MPs - including Health Secretary Sajid Javid - for the Yorkshire board to resign over the affair. If anything its given a lot more people a voice people that probably didnt feel like they could speak previously. Megan Baynes He added, however, that individuals can change, citing the historical tweet storm that engulfed Englands Ollie Robinson during the summer as a template for such incidents. All rights reserved. No further action is taken. As well as his current role with the YCB he is chairman of the League Cricket Conference and a director of the National Cricket Conference. Azeem Rafiq: Timeline of former Yorkshire cricketer's racism case against county, After a DCMS report found there was 'deep-seated' racism within the sport, Azeem Rafiq says he is encouraged that the committee has taken the issue seriously, Transfer Centre LIVE! I will make sure it is done in a fair and appropriate manner, Patel said. He added: "There is no quick fix to the clear problems which have been identified, and the issues are complex, not least the charge of institutional racism which must be addressed head on.". The ECB promised it will conduct a full regulatory process as "quickly as possible", and apologised for not resolving the issue sooner, saying it was "conscious about the length of time that Azeem has waited for resolution and the toll that must be taking on his wellbeing and that of his family". Two further Yorkshire board members have joined chairman Roger Hutton in resigning over the club's . He is released at the end of the season. Feb 2023: Bresnan, Hoggard, Pyrah and Blain join Gale in withdrawing cooperation from the CDC hearings. The first game is scheduled to start at 5:00 PM IST and the second match will start at 7:00 PM IST live score and commentary can be seen on FanCode and CricketAddictor website.. SLL vs LIZ FanCode ECS Cyprus T10 Match 51 and 52 Preview: English cricket is "institutionally" racist, says former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq. "It was a long time ago. When Azeem Rafiq was playing junior cricket for Yorkshire, he was not provided with halalfood at matches. Ian Cotterhill (Vice Chairman) Ian is a Level 2 Cricket Coach who played cricket for Rotherham Town, Rotherham Phoenix, Warmsworth, & Ulley Cricket Clubs in South Yorkshire. Vaughan did not appear on his BBC Radio 5 Live show on Monday; a BBC spokesperson said the organisation "remains in discussions with Michael and his team". Rashid's statement comes on the same day Yorkshire open an independent whistleblowing hotline, allowing anyone wishing to lodge a formal complaint about any form of discrimination or harassment they have suffered as a result of any act or omission from Yorkshire to do so using a dedicated email address. On behalf of all at YCCC, I wish to extend my sincere, profound and unreserved apologies to Azeem and to his family.". "They have not wanted to apologise or take the recommendations of the panel going forward," he added. Working with a wide pool of talent and diversity from across the globe she has, over the years provided leadership, coaching and mentoring to teams. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? MR UMAR KHALIQ RAFIQ is British and resident in England. Roger Hutton, Chair of Yorkshire CCC, said: "There is no question that Azeem Rafiq, during his first spell as a player at YCCC, was the victim of racial harassment. Rafiq had to apologise later in the week after it emerged he used anti-Semitic language in Facebook messages in 2011. Patel said: I thank Azeem for his bravery in speaking out. "Now is your time to be heard, to share your story and be a part of the change the game so desperately needs," added Holding, the former West Indies cricketer who is now a TV pundit and equality campaigner. "He was also subsequently the victim of bullying. A new club chair, Lord Patel was appointed. Julian Knight, chair of the digital, culture, media and sport committee in parliament, calls for the report and its full findings [to be] made public and open to scrutiny. Rafiq alleges former England captain and BBC cricket pundit Michael Vaughan said "too many of you lot, we need to do something about it" to him and three other Asian players in 2009 while they were all at Yorkshire. Moxon is currently absent from work because of a "stress-related illness" and Yorkshire said he "will be given the necessary support". Essex are facing racism allegations and encouraging those that have experienced discrimination to come forward. Rashid says he "can confirm Azeem Rafiq's recollection of Michael Vaughan's comments to a group of us Asian players" and vows to support any further official investigations into his former team-mates claims. The affair has resonated with other British Asians involved in cricket, some of whom have shared similar stories, including being forced to accept racist abuse as "banter". YORKSHIRE CRICKET BOARD: Active : Director : 2014-09-16 : CURRENT : Companies Controlled . Azeem Rafiq has reiterated his call for cricket to focus on "the game as a whole" rather than individuals after a Cricket Discipline Commission panel found five former Yorkshire players to have breached ECB directives around the use of discriminatory language. He said there had been racism in the England dressing room, accusing Ballance of using the term 'Kevin' to describe "anyone of colour". Thirteen months on from me opening my heart out, all thats changed really is that me and my family have been driven out of the country, he says. Whilst he enjoyed a successful club football playing and administering career, his main passion has always been cricket. Hours after Root released his statement, Rafiq wrote on Twitter: "Disappointed is not even the feeling. Hutton said it was "a matter of sincere regret" that the work of so many to make the club inclusive to those from ethnically diverse backgrounds was at risk of being overshadowed by "the behaviour and remarks of a few people". The ECB said it had on this day received the full report and would consider it, but warned that "it will take time for the regulatory process to reach its conclusion". Rafiq issued an apology and said he was "ashamed of this exchange" with former Warwickshire and Leicestershire player Ateeq Javid. I think he wants change and thats what hes pushing for . However, a series of knee injuries disrupted his progress, and by 2014 Yorkshire had allowed Rafiq to train with other counties, but this did little to reinvigorate his career. However, it refused to release the full report for legal reasons "in relation to privacy law and defamation". He is also a Member of Scholarship Awards group.Professionally Ian is the owner of a Steel Trading Company. Speaking on Monday afternoon, three days after taking the chair at Yorkshire, Lord Patel disclosed he had spent nearly seven hours over the weekend in talks with Rafiq, who has received a six-figure payout. Rafiq said that following an interview on Sky, former England bowler and Yorkshire team-mate Matthew Hoggard called him and said "I am sorry if some of the comments made you feel how you described it". The following month Yorkshire announced it would take no disciplinary action against any of its employees, players or executives following the report. He captained England at youth level and eventually became captain of Yorkshire in 2012. 7. Alan will be chairing the sub-committee that will be reviewing disciplinary and transfer regulations. Meanwhile, three former Yorkshire players have come forward to say that they heard former England Yorkshire captain Michael Vaughan make racist comments. Read about our approach to external linking. In wide-ranging testimony, Rafiq also said: Rafiq was giving evidence to MPs after a report found he was a victim of "racial harassment and bullying" but the club said they would not discipline anyone. The CDC findings come almost three years after Rafiq levelled allegations of racism against Yorkshire Country Cricket Club and individuals within the club. March 2023: CDC hearings go ahead in London, with the verdict announced on Friday 31 March. Azeem was not given any notice of this mornings statement he received a copy only a couple of minutes before the media. Vaughan, who was stood down from appearing on BBC Radio 5 live on Monday night, had previously declined to speak to the investigation team over the past year but the message from Patel to the former Yorkshire player was to engage with the club now. What appeared to be a fairy tale return to the Yorkshire team occurred in 2016, as he contributed to a campaign that saw the team reach the T20 Finals Day and compete for the County Championship title. ECB chief executive Tom Harrison vowed to stay in his role and address racism within the sport, following a meeting of cricket's leading decision-makers, including the chairs of all 18 first-class counties. After being elected as chairman of the Yorkshire Cricket Premier League working party in 2014 he was appointed chairman of the Yorkshire Cricket Premier League Board in 2015. He also plays an active role in helping local communities, schools and charities.Varinder is a lawyer and chartered secretary by profession and has worked in large multinational businesses for most of his career, recently holding senior positions in both retail and manufacturing. (modern). News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy tweeted that "there will barely be a brown-skinned person in Britain who hasn't felt that smarting, holding back the tears feeling, while being told it was just banter". Holly has volunteered within cricket across West Yorkshire for a number of years, at both club and league levels. 2023 BBC. A new anti-discrimination unit was announced, to be formed within six months, "to ensure that the ECB has the right resources and capabilities to help tackle discrimination". Prior to 2010 the Panel found that there were three separate incidents of racist languagebeing used by former players which were found to be harassment on the grounds of race. England bowler Adil Rashid and former Pakistan bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan have corroborated the allegation, which Vaughan "completely and categorically denies". Described in the January 2017 Cricketer magazine as a visionary, he has been the undoubted driving force behind the many significant developments in the NYSD over the last few decades.
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