Azeem Rafiq details racist abuse with Yorkshire at DCMS committee meeting

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Azeem Rafiq recounted that he suffered constant racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club by telling a DCMS committee that he was regularly referred to as a “P ***” and detailing several specific cases where he had suffered indignities and “humiliations” from those of the club.

Yorkshire has been widely criticized for the racism scandal, which saw President Roger Hutton step down earlier in November and several directors followed suit later.

Rafiq told the DCMS meeting that derogatory terms were common and that a culture of racist abuse was almost unbroken throughout his time in Yorkshire.

“Pretty early on, me and other people of Asian descent… there were comments like ‘you sit over there by the toilet,” “the elephant washers.” The P-word *** has been in constant use, ”he said. noted.

“There just seemed to be an acceptance into the institution from the leadership and no one ever stifled it.”

Rafiq left Yorkshire in 2014 before returning afterwards. Following a change in leadership and the departure of coach Jason Gillespie, he says things have gotten significantly worse.

“All I wanted to do was play cricket and play for England and live my dream and live my family’s dream. In my first spell I don’t really think I quite achieved what it was. I think I was in denial.

“You had Andrew Gale as a coach and Gary Ballance as a captain. For the first time, I started to see what it was – I felt isolated, humiliated at times. Constant use of the word ‘P ***’.

Another allegation by Rafiq was that Ballance racially assaulted him during a preseason tour in 2017, while another derogatory term was used by him as an “open secret” to humiliate “any person of color. Within the team or even with the opposition. .

“We were in one place and Gary Ballance walks up and says, ‘Why are you talking to him? You know it’s a P *** ‘. It happened in front of teammates. It happened in front of the technical staff.

“A ‘Kevin’ was something Gary used to describe any person of color in a very derogatory way. It was an open secret in the English locker room. Anyone who met Gary would know that was a phrase he would use to describe people of color. “

Rafiq also alleged that former England international Alex Hales was involved in chasing the line even outside the confines of the sport.

“Gary and Alex Hales really came together when they played together for England. I wasn’t in that box but what I understand (is) Alex continued to name his dog ‘ Kevin ‘because he was black. It’s disgusting how much of a joke that was.

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