A GRAVE DECISION
Racially abused ex-yorkshire all-rounder furious by return of former chairman at heart of club’s scandal
The game is trolling us, so much has gone wrong... it’s failed its first major test and is not fit for purpose
We’ve heard the grand apologies but where is the action? The empire strikes back and told Asians where to go
AZEEM RAFIQ has delivered a scathing assessment of the English cricket establishment after a consortium led by Colin Graves was given the green light to takeover at Yorkshire.
The former Yorkshire allrounder has previously spoken out on the racism he suffered at the club in two spells as a player between 2008 and 2018.
Graves (below), who was Yorkshire’s executive chairman between 2012 and 2015, has never been charged with any misdemeanour but was criticised by the ECB last summer for describing discriminatory language as dressing-room banter.
Rafiq, though, believes his potential return to the county shows that English cricket has not changed.
And he accused the establishment of trolling those seeking to shine a light on racism in the sport.
Rafiq said: “There are big questions everywhere.
“Is the way sport is governed fit for purpose?
“Is the way cricket is governing fit for purpose?
“Is the Professional Cricketers’ Association fit for purpose? Do we need better regulation? So much has gone wrong.
“Hopefully one day we’ll look back and say that it has made a difference, but at the moment it looks like it is going the other way.
“Cricket is trolling us. This is cricket’s first major test and it’s failing it comprehensively.
“You can say all the right things – we’ve heard the grand apologies, we’ve seen the action plans.
“But where is the action? What happens when you’re confronted with a difficult situation? Actions speak louder than words. This is the empire striking back – this is the game telling South Asians where to go.”
Graves’ return to a stricken county that is staring administration in the face will go to a vote of members at a meeting next month.
Rafiq believes that the silence from the rest of the professional game also speaks volumes.
He said: “The counties, the sponsors that are involved in the game up and down the country – the thing that frustrates me is how this has been green-lighted so easily.
“This just shows that the privileged people who hold the power do not want to give the keys to anyone else.
“They want to stick to the status quo. Unfortunately, this seems to be the mentality, not just of cricket, but of society. Institutions are very easily believed.”
Caroline Dinenage, the chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, also warned of the ramifications of the prospective takeover. “The return of Colin Graves to Yorkshire and to English cricket risks undermining what progress has been made so far,” she said.
“If the club is serious about rebuilding its reputation as well as its finances, then there needs to be a commitment from Mr Graves and the club to fully respect the findings of the ICEC and taking action on them.”
The ECB has said the findings of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) must continue to be adopted.
“Considerable work has been carried out at Yorkshire – and across cricket more widely – in recent years to tackle discrimination and make the game more inclusive, and it is vital this continues,” a statement read.
“We welcome Colin Graves’ commitment to continue this work, his unreserved apology and acceptance of the findings of the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket.
“These words must be put into action if Yorkshire members approve this deal.”