Yorkshire CCC disciplinary hearings right to be held in public - The Yorkshire Post says

For too long, the scandal has been cloaked from the public’s view and it has deprived the club, its fans and cricket in general of the opportunity to learn from it and move forward. However, lessons need to be taken from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) hearings.

Racism isn’t a subject to be taken lightly. And the pain that Mr Rafiq was put through makes it an emotive talking point. But the disciplinary hearings cannot be allowed to become a kangaroo court. Evidence across the board needs to be considered dispassionately.

There are myriad wrongs in this scandal and the subsequent handling of it. People have lost livelihoods that didn’t deserve to. Those that were summarily dismissed without explanation ought also to be given an opportunity to present their story.

At this point, there is no denying that there was racism in one form or another over the years at Yorkshire CCC. But that does not mean that everyone who has ever walked the corridors of that proud institution is racist. An inquiry into the subsequent handling of the racism allegations by the current and previous regime also needs to be held.

Questions also need to be answered by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) over its lack of leadership during this scandal. Its reluctance to intervene early on resulted in sponsors deserting the club and taking international games away from Headingley only served to heap more pressure on the board, leading to irrational decisions.