Panesar denounces the dissemination of a Vaughan “blacklist” amid a line of racism

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Published on: 11/26/2021 – 20:10 Modified: 11/26/2021 – 20:09

London (AFP) – Monty Panesar said Michael Vaughan’s ‘blacklist’ was a ‘distortion of natural justice’ after the former England captain was kicked out of the BBC radio commentary team for the upcoming Ashes series in the midst of an ongoing racist argument.

English cricket has been rocked by racist revelations from Pakistan-born former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq.

These include an allegation that Vaughan told Rafiq, now 30, and other Yorkshire players of Asian descent that there were “too many of you , we have to do something “in a county game in 2009.

Vaughan, however, “categorically denied” the allegation, although Yorkshire host Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, a former Pakistan international, and current Yorkshire and England leg spinner Adil Rashid supported Rafiq’s version of events.

The BBC said if Vaughan commented on the series of five Ashes tests, which begins in Brisbane next month, it would represent a “conflict of interest”.

Meanwhile, BT Sport is examining ways to ensure the 47-year-old’s commentary – via Fox Sports in Australia – does not appear on UK TV screens.

“It seems deeply unethical – a classic case of someone being tried and sentenced without any form of due process being undertaken,” former England bowler Panesar wrote in a website article for the Daily on Friday. British Telegraph, the newspaper for which Vaughan is a columnist. .

Panesar, the first Sikh to represent England, played international cricket under Vaughan and he insisted he had never experienced any prejudice from his former skipper.

Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan PAUL ELLIS AFP / File

“I have only experienced positive things with him,” said the left arm spinner. “I cannot reconcile the man I know with the one who was the subject of these allegations.”

Panesar stressed that he does not call Rafiq a liar or absolve Vaughan of Yorkshire’s failure to fight discrimination “but that does not make him a racist and does not mean that he deserves to see his career and reputation torn apart “.

The 39-year-old said the BBC and BT had chosen the “easy option” in preventing Vaughan from broadcasting on the Ashes.

“To blacklist one of the best English captains we have produced based on historic and as yet unproven claims is a mistake and a distortion of natural justice,” he added.

© 2021 AFP

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