The Cricket Discipline Commission announced on Friday 28th July, that Yorkshire County Cricket Club have been fined £400,000 and will receive a 48 point deduction in the County Championship, in respect of its handling of racism allegations made by Muslim cricket player, Azeem Rafiq.
Shocking allegations of institutional racism in Yorkshire County Cricket
In September 2020, Pakistani born cricketer, Azeem Rafiq, made a series of shocking allegations, which exposed the scandal of racism and bullying in Yorkshire cricket. An independent report upheld the majority of his accusations and his case dominated the news headlines in the UK for weeks. The fallout from the findings of the report at that time saw multiple senior resignations at the club, including the Chairman of Yorkshire cricket and Rafiq’s revelations became central to the new investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Parliamentary Select Committee of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
Azeem Rafiq vindicated as Independent Report upholds his allegations of institutional racism in Yorkshire County Cricket
Nearly two years later, on 27th June this year, when the independent report first published its findings, Azeem Rafiq openly expressed his feelings of vindication for having taken the difficult step of speaking out on the issue. He said at the time:
‘It was quite emotional. You are never really sure that reports, investigations, commissions will do justice to your experiences and other peoples experiences. All those people who were brave enough to speak to the commission, I hope today that they have found a little bit of closure. Even those that are still suffering in silence, I hope that their voice has been heard a little bit.’
Multiple resignations, player sanctions and severe penalties awarded by Cricket Disciplinary Commission
The size of the Cricket Disciplinary Commission (CDC) fine and the points penalties against Yorkshire County Cricket this week are unique. Added to this, the CDC has sanctioned six former players in May for using racist slurs. There are wide ranging changes now taking place across the game in dealing with racism in English and Welsh cricket. Rafiq must be feeling especially assured that he did the right thing when he raised his complaint some two and a half years ago, although at the time, he is likely to have understood that his decision would effectively end his cricketing career.
English Cricket Board Chief says ‘There can be no place for racism in our game’
Following the Cricket Discipline Commission announcement, the English Cricket Board Chief Executive Officer, Richard Gould said:
‘These were serious charges relating to racism over a prolonged period. There can be no place for racism in our game, and the penalties announced by the Cricket Discipline Commission mark the end of a thorough disciplinary process. No one should have to experience what Azeem Rafiq went through in cricket, and we once again thank him for his courage in speaking out. Since this hearing took place, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket has published its report which demonstrates just how much there still is for our game to do in order to stamp out discrimination and become the inclusive sport we all want to be. We must work together as a game to learn from the events that led to this case, and to respond thoroughly to that report.’
