Azeem Rafiq says Colin Graves' expected Yorkshire return shows cricket "not safe" for minority ethnic players; Yorkshire approve Graves-led takeover with members to vote on deal at February EGM; Rafiq spoke out about racism he suffered at club, with Graves chair for part of that period
Friday 12 January 2024 06:02, UK
Azeem Rafiq feels Colin Graves' expected return as Yorkshire chairman shows cricket is "not safe" for minority ethnic cricketers and says the Headingley club "means absolutely nothing to me anymore".
Yorkshire's board has approved a takeover of the cash-strapped county by a Graves-led consortium, with members to vote on the deal at an emergency general meeting on February 2.
Graves' previous tenure at Yorkshire was between 2012 and 2015, a period of time in which the county was fined for failing to address the systemic use of discriminatory or racist language.
The 75-year-old, who says he witnessed no racism during his time at Yorkshire, was condemned last year after suggesting some of the incidents were "banter" in an interview with Sky Sports News - comments Graves said on Thursday that he "profoundly regretted" as he apologised "personally and unreservedly" to those who experienced racism at the club.
Former Yorkshire all-rounder Rafiq gave harrowing testimony in front of MPs in late 2021, detailing the abuse he received at the club across two spells between 2008 and 2018, and told Sky Sports News Graves' potential comeback shows cricket has not changed.
Rafiq said: "There is a sense of sadness, a bit of anger. The message it clearly sends out is cricket is not a place that is safe for people like me: people from South Asian communities or people of colour.
"Cricket has made that loud and clear with this appointment. The fact is cricket does not care it has proven to be institutionally racist [in a report conducted by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket]. The powers that be, quite frankly, are telling us to leave the game.
"They are telling us, 'we might say we are sorry but we are not, we might say that we want you but we don't, so take the hint and leave'. That is what cricket is telling people from South Asian culture.
"I have tried to believe every one of these grand apologies and tried to give it a chance but if people are going to continue to show you with their actions that they are just mugging you off, you have to take the hint. The last 10 days, I have taken the hint.
"It [Yorkshire] is not my club anymore. I held my county cap with a lot of pride and that cap means nothing to me anymore. The club means absolutely nothing to me anymore.
"It is incredibly infuriating, sad, triggering. I am finding it really difficult and I don't really know at what point it gets to a place where cricket people get to remotely understand the pain and suffering that it continues to cause us."
Rafiq has "no sympathy" for Yorkshire's board, saying "the plan all along has been to go to Colin" and telling Sky Sports News he had seen emails from as early as last February revealing Graves' return was likely.
"Nothing changes at that club. People from the club have contacted me telling me about the biases that have gone on. There is not a single thing that has changed. If institutional and ingrained racism could be sorted by a few Eid events, we would have all sorted it.
"The ECB don't care. The Professional Cricketers' Association don't care. Colin Graves doesn't care. That is the reality. I find it despicable we have heard nothing from the ECB over the last 10 days.
"Colin is an easy target for a lot of people. There are a lot of people that think the same and have said the same behind the scenes but diminishing racism as banter in any way is triggering for everyone that has suffered racist abuse.
"In terms of people getting a second chance, every time, but there has to be some sort of contrition, real contrition. For Colin, it can't just be words."
Yorkshire say they conducted a "rigorous process" and spoke to over 350 people as they seek investment to stave off administration, with the club's £400,000 fine after accepting charges of racism adding to their crippling financial problems - an overdraft of around £17m is due to be repaid in October of this year.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said it noted the board's decision to accept Graves' proposal and that it was Yorkshire's "only viable option to address the situation the club is in and put it on a sustainable footing".
The ECB added: "Considerable work has been carried out at Yorkshire - and across cricket more widely - in recent years to tackle discrimination and make the game more inclusive, and it is vital this continues.
"We welcome Colin Graves' commitment to continue this work, his unreserved apology and acceptance of the findings of the ICEC. These words must be put into action if Yorkshire members approve this deal."
Sky Sports News also put Rafiq's claims to the ECB that "it doesn't care about tackling racism in cricket", who referred to the findings of their Impact of Cricket report published in November.
It added: "Yorkshire is an incredibly diverse area and the club's iconic status means it has a huge opportunity to be at the forefront of the sport's work to become more inclusive.
"We have been working with the club for some time to support its work in breaking down barriers and becoming more welcoming to people from all backgrounds, and we will continue to do so as we deliver on the actions set out in response to the ICEC.
"In addition, the ECB continues to exercise its ongoing role of ensuring effective oversight of governance across the wider game. There are also significant powers which can be used to hold Yorkshire County Cricket Club to account if it does not continue with the progress and reform we have seen over the last few years."
Rafiq, who was forced to leave the UK after highlighting the racism he suffered at Yorkshire, says Graves' impending return to Yorkshire has left him wondering whether his efforts were worth it.
He added: "I did an interview where an interviewer told me to let it go. It's not like my sweets have been taken off me or something small has happened. It put me on the brink of taking my own life.
"Since I have spoken out it has forced me to leave the country. I had to leave a place I have called home for 21 years.
"The implications of that on certain members of my family and their health is still something I have to deal with on a daily basis. It feels like what was the point?
"Throughout these last three or four years, which has become an absolute circus, I have tried to handle things with some level of calmness and think about the cause at all times, knowing full well I have documents that if I put in the public domain would be the end of most individuals. I have chosen not to throughout with the hope of the game listening.
"I recently did a subject access request [at the Professional Cricketers' Association] to see what was going on and to read it with my own eyes, to see we are back to square one or possibly even worse, what was the point?
"How do I look my kids in the eyes and tell them that I took them away from their cousins because I stood up for a cause when two years down the line the guy that oversaw it [Graves] is back and that the ECB seems to be greenlighting it?
"For some reason these board members, these executives, people in power, just do not listen to what someone is telling them. From day one to now it has become a bigger and bigger circus.
"Questions mount up and I appear to be the only person who fronts up every time and provides any sort of answers. It is not my position to be clarifying stuff on other people's behalf. It has been a royal circus and the way the last 10 days have been handled, I don't see where the end is."
Yorkshire CEO Stephen Vaughan, speaking to Sky Sports News:
"It is always sad to hear anybody talk the way Azeem did, it was quite brutal. I am sorry to hear that. What I would say is that a lot of this is about context.
"Azeem has his thoughts and feelings on the matter and that is absolutely up to him but the situation is that Yorkshire now is lauded by the ECB and others as being the most inclusive club in the country, in terms of tackling discrimination and being welcoming.
"The work that has gone on, not just in the community but with our pathways and memberships to make sure people with the most challenging backgrounds can get into cricket, can play and watch it…
"Our EDI policies are now leading the way so it would be disingenuous and incorrect to suggest that isn't where Yorkshire cricket is now. If anybody knows Yorkshire cricket now, they know now one is doing more about EDI. We have a diverse staff, a diverse community and we do a lot of work.
"Without this funding, a lot of the fantastic work around EDI wouldn't be able to carry on. With it, it will continue at an accelerated pace.
"I understand people might have a perception that things have gone backwards but I would counter that and say without the ability to get funds into Yorkshire, there is a chance there is no Yorkshire cricket. The financial situation is dire."
CEO of Sporting Equals, Arun Kang speaking to Sky Sports News:
"The whole saga has been disappointing. It’s a huge blow for ethnically diverse communities and overall it’s a kick in the teeth for a lot of people.
"A lot of people came forward and talked about their trauma in cricket and their experiences of racism. Do we really think people are going to come forward again after seeing what Azeem has had to go through over the years? How many people are really going to report racism or sexism now?
"The problem I have is a lot of people are going to go back to what they have done and suffer in silence.
"We saw Azeem as a real phenomenon in this. He came forward and we said he was very brave to do this and we felt like it was a change but now people will just walk away from the game.
"There’s a bigger issue here, are we allowing individuals to come back into the game? We want correct people leading these organisations and more due diligence needs to be done."
