Yorkshire CCC crisis: Ex-chief executive Mark Arthur removed from witness list for MPs' hearing

Former Yorkshire CCC chief executive Mark Arthur now appears unlikely to give evidence to MPs at a hearing into the club's racism crisis tomorrow.

Mr Arthur, who resigned from his post with immediate effect last week, had previously been listed to appear at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport select committee hearing on Tuesday morning alongside former chairman Roger Hutton and current director of medical services Wayne Morton.

However, an updated witness list published by the committee on Monday afternoon has removed the names of Mr Arthur and Mr Morton from the list of expected witnesses and now says that the representatives from the club are "to be confirmed". Mr Hutton is still listed as a witness.

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The hearing is to examine the crisis that has engulfed the club following allegations of institutional racism made by former player Azeem Rafiq.

Mark Arthur is no longer listed as a witness for Tuesday's DCMS committee hearing.Mark Arthur is no longer listed as a witness for Tuesday's DCMS committee hearing.
Mark Arthur is no longer listed as a witness for Tuesday's DCMS committee hearing.

An independent investigation commissioned by the club found Mr Rafiq had been the victim of racial harassment and bullying but did not make a determination on whether the club was institutionally racist.

Mr Rafiq is due to be the first witness giving evidence from 9.30am.

He will be followed by Mr Hutton who will potentially be joined by Yorkshire club officials from around 10.15am, while from 11.30am onwards, ECB chief executive Tom Harrison and chair Barry O'Brien will give evidence.

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Prior to the publication of the revised witness list for tomorrow's hearing, new Yorkshire chairman Lord Patel issued a statement.

He said: “We welcome the formal meeting of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee on sport governance, and I will be listening to the session with great interest to help us understand the past and address the many challenges which have come to light.

“It is right that the issues which were initially brought up by Azeem Rafiq, and the way in which they were handled, are properly examined by the Committee. We have provided the Committee with a copy of the full report, given its legal interest in the case.

“It is clear that we have handled this issue badly and the investigation was flawed.

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"Azeem giving evidence is an important moment and, as a whistleblower, he should be praised for speaking up. I have said from the outset that we need to listen and to learn in order to create urgent change at Yorkshire Country Cricket Club."

Yorkshire CCC has been contacted for comment about who will be attending the Parliamentary hearing.

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