Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan ‘categorically denies’ racist comments he made | UK news

Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has “categorically denied” allegations that he made comments about Yorkshire team-mates of Asian descent.

The 48-year-old told an inquiry into racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 2009 that the prosecution had had a profound effect on his health and well-being.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) accuses him of using racist and/or discriminatory language.

But of the Yorkshire players accused of racist behaviour, Vaughan is the only one to deny the allegations personally. He appeared before the board in London today.

Other former Yorkshire players Matthew Hoggard, Tim Bresnan, John Blain, Andrew Gale and Richard Pyrah have all faced similar charges.

“I know I didn’t say the words”

Vaughan allegedly told four players of Asian origin – Azeem Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Ajmal Shahzad – that “there are too many of you, we need to talk about it” after a team talk. During a T20 match.

Asked by ECB lawyer Jane Mulcahy KC whether the words were “completely unacceptable” and “racist and discriminatory”, Vaughan, who captained England’s Test team from 2003 to 2008, agreed “absolutely” and said it was “unthinkable”. that he would have used. them.

“I have a very clear mind in 2009 that I know I didn’t say the words that I’m alleged to have said,” Vaughan said.

“If you go through my history as a player, I don’t know ever, I would have gone on the field and said something to my teammates that would have put them in a bad mood to play cricket.”

Read more:
Ballance apologizes to Azeem Rafiq for using racist language
The England and Wales Cricket Board will charge the club
Scottish cricket is ‘institutionally racist’ – review says

Vaughan acknowledges that old Tweets are not acceptable

Vaughan also received three historical tweets, including one from 2010 about the 118 118 phone book service.

He wrote at the time: “Why when you call 118 118 all the people who answer are foreigners… Can’t make out what they are saying… Annoying.”

Vaughan admitted the tweet was “inappropriate” and said that when the old Tweets surfaced in 2021, he “immediately hated them and apologized for them”.

In his witness statement, Vaughan referred to the toll charged with making a racist remark.

“Being a name and being involved in this thing has affected me deeply,” he said. – My health and personal well-being have suffered badly.

The ECB launched its investigation after Rafiq accused his teammates and the Yorkshire management of racism in a series of interviews with Sky Sports in 2020.