Yorkshire CCC issue apology to Azeem Rafiq following racism investigation

The club said that “several allegations made by Azeem were upheld” by the investigation panel and expressed their “profound apologies” to Rafiq, who claimed that he was driven to the brink of suicide by the racism that he experienced at Yorkshire and that the club itself is institutionally racist.

However, Yorkshire added that “many allegations made against the club, most of which relate to a period more than 10 years ago… were not upheld and for others there was insufficient evidence for the panel to make a determination”.

Yorkshire, who the panel said “failed to implement its policies and procedures in relation to these serious issues”, confirmed that they received the findings last weekend and are now reviewing them and taking legal advice.

“It is inevitable that there is much to digest and we shall have to take advice on the contents of the report,” said the club.

“We are mindful that in a process of this nature we have a duty of care to all who participated, and we must not breach that duty.

“We aim to publish as much of the report and recommendations as we are able, subject to any legal restraints on doing so, in the coming weeks.”

Rafiq, the former off-spin bowler and England U19 captain, who played for Yorkshire between 2008 and 2018, responded on Twitter by ridiculing the term “inappropriate behaviour” and accused the club of “playing with your words” and “fudging” the issue.

The Yorkshire Post contacted him for comment.

Richard Levin, a member of the Yorkshire CCC members’ committee, said that he felt “nauseous and embarrassed” by the club’s actions.

“In my view the club must quickly publish the vast majority of this report and the action they intend to take as a result,” he announced.

Roger Hutton, the Yorkshire chairman, described the so-termed inappropriate behaviour suffered by Rafiq as “clearly unacceptable”.

He said: “I would like to acknowledge Azeem’s courage in raising these issues, and his participation in the investigation, which I understand must have been very difficult.

“I would also like to express my sincere apology to him for certain failings by the club, which have been highlighted by the panel.

“He has very obviously experienced some difficult and distressing times during the time since 2008 and the club could, and should, have supported him better.

“Since I joined the board in 2020, it has become obvious to me that both prior to, and since, it has continually tried to improve its relationship with diverse communities.

“It has, however, not progressed far enough, particularly as we learn to see the world from fresh eyes, and I consider that this report will be a platform for further important changes at YCCC.”

Yorkshire further apologised for the time that the investigation had taken.

It was launched last September and begun in November, some three months after Rafiq spoke out.

The investigation, conducted on the club’s behalf by the international law firm Squire Patton Boggs, and featuring experts with experience from within HR, sport, governance and employment law, was described by the club as “extensive” with “many witnesses, including Azeem, current and former players, coaching staff and management, who willingly came forward”.

The club added that the panel, chaired by Dr Samir Pathak, a consultant pancreatic surgeon at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds, and a trustee of the MCC Foundation, “considered significant amounts of material and evidence submitted by a broad range of contributors”.

“We acknowledge that it has been a distressing and difficult period for those involved,” said the club.

“We are sorry that the process took longer than we had hoped, but it has always been our position that the investigation should be thorough, and so far as possible, not compromised by external factors.”

The panel’s role was to oversee the investigation’s integrity, to make findings and to propose recommendations that Yorkshire should adopt.

The panel undertook their duties voluntarily, outside of their day jobs, and it was not a judicial process.

Yorkshire’s admission of culpability to some degree, and their apology to Rafiq, came following a statement by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Wednesday.

The governing body said that it respected Yorkshire’s “legal responsibilities to all parties” and “the independent process behind the review”, and that it had written to the club to formally request a copy of the report.

“We now look forward to receiving a copy of the report promptly to enable us to fulfil our role as the ultimate regulator of the game,” said Ian Watmore, the ECB chairman, who praised Rafiq’s “considerable courage”.