Rafiq predicts “flood gates” will open in a cricket crisis

Azeem Rafiq bowled for the Yorkshire Vikings in the Vitality Blast match against the Derbyshire Falcons at Headingley in Leeds on 30 July 2018.

Former Yorkshire cricket player Azeem Rafiq expects “flood gates” to open in a cricket crisis and predicts thousands may emerge after explaining his own experiences to British lawmakers.

Born in Pakistan, Rafiq told deputies on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee on Tuesday how racist language was used “continuously” during his two spells with the county.

The 30-year-old, who had dreamed of playing in England, said the sport in the country was disrupted by institutional racism.

He made several new allegations against high-profile individuals, including former English players Gary Ballance, Tim Bresnan, Matthew Hoggard and Alex Hales, and predicts others to speak among them.

Allegations of racism have already been made in Essex, and several other provinces were named during the parliamentary hearing.

“I feel like it’s going to be a small flood gate now and a lot of the victims of the assault are coming out, and we need to listen to them, listen to them, support them and come up with a plan to make sure that doesn’t happen,” he told Sky Sports.

“I think you’ll get hundreds (thousands) of it (complaints), and I think that’s their way of dealing with it. We’ve come here because of Yorkshire’s handling.”

The consequences of the scandal for Yorkshire have been devastating, as sponsors have moved into the ranks, top administrative officials have resigned and the club has been barred from holding lucrative international matches.

But Rafiq warned the county could not proceed until head coach Andrew Gale and cricket manager Martyn Moxon left the club in Headingley.

Gale is currently frozen pending investigations of a historic tweet and Moxon has a stress-related illness.

Both men appeared strongly in Rafiq’s written and oral remarks. Gale was accused of continuing racial violence and systematic bullying of Moxon, including Rafiq on the first day of his son’s death after birth.

“I don’t think Martyn and Andrew will be able to (continue in their roles),” Rafiq said.

“But as for Andrewy and Martyn, I don’t think it’s possible for Yorkshire to move forward while they’re there, knowing fully what role they played in that facility.”

Bresnan, who now works in Warwickshire, apologized on Twitter for “all my contributions to Azeem Rafiq’s experience of being bullied” in Yorkshire, but stressed that the racist comments he often made were not true.

Rafiq accused Hales of calling his black dog “Kevin” because Ballance used that name as a derogatory name for colorful people, but the Nottinghamshire striker has rejected it.

“After hearing the accusations against me, I categorically and unequivocally deny that there is any racial significance in my dog’s name,” he said in a statement.

More than 1,000 people have contacted an independent cricket commission set up by the Cricket Board of England and Wales following a “request for testimony” last week.

ICEC chairman Cindy Butts said Rafiq’s testimony showed that cricket “needs to change now”.

“It is crucial that people, many of whom have been inspired by Azeme’s courage throughout the game, get a chance to be heard,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

Sayeeda Warsi, the legislature of the upper house elected in the British election, called on the ECB to lead the change, saying the case of Azeme was “the tip of the iceberg”.

“It is time for the ECB to engage in a full inquiry that includes a process of truth and reconciliation that allows anonymity because players want it,” he told the BBC.