Colin Graves criticised by MP John Nicholson for being 'too busy' to call Azeem Rafiq over racism
Colin Graves labelled "appalling" for not calling Azeem Rafiq after Yorkshire racism scandal; Graves did not feel apology at time was 'appropriate'; Graves was Yorkshire chairman during time club fined £400,000 for failing to address systemic use of racist or discriminatory language
Tuesday 20 February 2024 18:08, UK
Colin Graves has been accused of being "too busy" to phone Azeem Rafiq and apologise for the racism he endured at Yorkshire CCC.
Graves appeared in front of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday to discuss the racism scandal that has engulfed Yorkshire since 2020 and which took place partially on his watch.
The 76-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.
Speaking at a Westminster inquiry, Graves - whose return to Yorkshire was approved last month - said that he had "plenty of things going on" as part of his reasoning why he did not call Rafiq.
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Graves admitted on Tuesday that he had not yet apologised in person to former Yorkshire all-rounder Rafiq, who gave a harrowing testimony in front of MPs in late 2021, detailing the abuse he received at the club across two spells between 2008 and 2018.
Asked by SNP shadow culture secretary John Nicholson why he hadn't picked up the phone to apologise to Rafiq, Graves told the committee: "Certainly from my point of view, I did not feel that was appropriate at the time.
"I have apologised today to Mr Rafiq and anybody else who has experienced any discrimination or racism.
"I just had plenty of things going on to phone Mr Rafiq."
When asked whether he was saying he was too busy to call Rafiq, Graves added: "I didn't say I was too busy. If that is how you see it, fine, I don't see it like that.
"I have been out of cricket since September 2020. I have not been involved in running any form of cricket until I have just got back in working with Yorkshire 11 days ago."
Nicholson replied: "I don't know why you are saying fine. It is really not fine. It is appalling.
"I think anybody in your position would have picked up the phone and I don't know why you have not phoned him if you are sincere in your apology."
Graves then responded again: "I am very sincere in my apology."
After the exchange, Nicholson further criticised Graves on social media.
"Colin Graves, Chair of Yorkshire Cricket has just told me @CommonsCMS that he's been too busy to pick up the phone to apologise to Azeem Rafiq for the appalling racist abuse he endured. And still hasn't done so," he said.
"You can see why people think English cricket still has a problem…"
Graves apologised during the session but said incidents of racism were "never brought to his attention" during his previous tenure.
"Maybe the processes weren't thorough enough to record those kind of things - if it happened and when it happened," he said.
"From my point of view, I never heard anything about racism from any management meeting, any board meeting - it was never brought to my attention."
The board of debt-ridden Yorkshire last month gave the green light to a loan offer from Graves.
Graves, who previously served as chairman and helped to save Yorkshire from financial ruin in 2002, received overwhelming support from members at a heated extraordinary general meeting on February 4.
