Yorkshire CCC hit out at CDC for points deductions over Azeem Rafiq racism scandal

The club says that the punishment by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) penalises those “who were not responsible” for the racism scandal.

The penalty sent Yorkshire rock-bottom of Division Two, 70 points behind Glamorgan in the second and final promotion place with only 96 points still up for grabs.

Yorkshire were also fined £400,000 following the allegations raised by former player Azeem Rafiq, with £300,000 of that suspended for two years, and docked four points in this year’s T20 Blast, an irrelevant imposition given that the competition is over and they failed to reach the knockout stages.

However, Yorkshire have not been docked points in the One-Day Cup, which starts for them on Tuesday against Kent at Scarborough.

At a CDC sanctions hearing last month, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recommended a 48 to 72-point deduction in the Championship, along with a four to six-point deduction in the One-Day Cup and the T20 Blast, plus a £500,000 fine, following their own investigation into events at Yorkshire.

The club, which will not be appealing the CDC ruling, admitted four amended charges and were fined £80,000 for their mishandling of the Rafiq case, £50,000 for an alleged mass deletion of emails/documents, £135,000 for an alleged failure to take action concerning racist behaviour, and £135,000 for an alleged failure to tackle systemic use of racist language.

In a statement, the Yorkshire board said: “We accept the sanctions against Yorkshire County Cricket Club imposed by the Cricket Discipline Commission.

"Following representations by the board at last month’s hearing, the CDC and ECB have today acknowledged the vast amount of work done by YCCC to overcome the cultural issues that existed within the club, which allowed racist and discriminatory behaviour to go unchallenged.

"We are accountable for these issues, and we accepted four amended charges as part of a continued commitment to ensure we are able to move forward.

“We are disappointed to receive the points deductions which affects players and staff at the club, who were not responsible for the situation. They have worked tirelessly on and off the field to rebuild Yorkshire into an inclusive and welcoming club that reflects the communities it serves. Greater clarity over our situation will allow us all now to look ahead.”

The statement went on: “There remains much to do, but we have made significant investments to put in place best practice processes and procedures, as well as driving equity, diversity and inclusion through a new framework and taking important steps to improve the matchday experience to encourage greater inclusivity and tackle discrimination.

"This is in addition to the real progress we have seen on our Performance Pathway, ensuring young cricketers from all backgrounds can take part regardless of their economic circumstances.

“We look forward to continued dialogue with the ECB to ensure the financial penalty does not hinder our ongoing commitment to build on the strong foundations that have been laid. We remain focused on efforts to secure YCCC’s sustainability, ensuring the stability required to create a brighter future for all associated with Yorkshire cricket.”

Richard Gould, ECB chief executive, also issued a statement.

“These were serious charges relating to racism over a prolonged period,” he said. “There can be no place for racism in our game, and the penalties announced by the Cricket Discipline Commission mark the end of a thorough disciplinary process. No one should have to experience what Azeem Rafiq went through in cricket, and we once again thank him for his courage in speaking out.

“Since this hearing took place, the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket has published its report which demonstrates just how much there still is for our game to do in order to stamp out discrimination and become the inclusive sport we all want to be. We must work together as a game to learn from the events that led to this case, and to respond thoroughly to that report.

“We recognise that Yorkshire County Cricket Club has made significant progress since Azeem came forward, first under Lord Patel’s leadership and since then under its current management, and is committed to becoming an inclusive club. They have set the club on a path to a much brighter and more inclusive future, and we will continue to support the new leadership at Yorkshire to build on the progress made so far."

News of the CDC decision reached Yorkshire at Scarborough, where no play was possible on the final day of the Championship match against Durham due to a wet outfield. Ottis Gibson, the Yorkshire head coach, said: “At least now we know where we stand. We have four games left in the Championship, and that’s 96 points to play for. We’ll try and win the next four games. That’s all we’re trying to do – win every game.”