Members of Parliament have called for Yorkshire Cricket Club's board to resign over their handling of the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal.
Yorkshire have admitted there was racial bullying against Rafiq following a year-long investigation but are yet to release the full report. According to ESPN this week, the report's panel deemed calling Rafiq a ‘P**i’ banter and ‘do not accept that Azeem was offended.’
MP Julian Knight, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee, tweeted: "Given the endemic racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, I struggle to think of any reason why that the board should remain in post."
Rafiq is due to give evidence to that committee on November 16.
Health secretary Sajid Javid tweeted: "“Paki” is not banter. Heads should roll at Yorkshire CCC. If the ECB doesn’t take action it’s not fit for purpose."
ESPNCricinfo claimed this week that the report shows that at least one current Yorkshire player has admitted regularly using the term ‘P**i’ to Rafiq, as well as asking ‘is that your uncle?’ when they saw bearded Asian men and asking if his father owned corner shops.
Those comments led to Rafiq breaking down in tears.
But, despite the lawyers who compiled the report saying the player’s actions violated the club’s own rule and the Equality Act, the player was cleared of wrongdoing by the panel, which allegedly included a Yorkshire board member.
According to ESPN, the panel ‘does not accept that Azeem was offended’ and said the comments were ‘banter between friends’ while the panel accused Rafiq of racism for calling a player of Zimbabwean heritage ‘Zimbo from Zimbabwe.’ Yorkshire have declined to punish any of their players or staff following the report.
The ECB’s investigation is ongoing.
