RAFIQ: A WEIGHT HAS BEEN LIFTED ... BUT THE ECB STILL DON’T GET IT

EXCLUSIVE BY DARREN LEWIS AZEEM RAFIQ maintains a weight has been lifted off his shoulders after Tuesday’s devastating testimony.

The former Yorkshire all-rounder, 30, also accused the ECB of continued denial after chief executive Tim Harrison (below) refused to accept the sport is institutionally racist.

Rafiq told Mirror Sport: “It was disappointing to hear how that was answered. The former chairman, Roger Hutton, described Yorkshire as institutionally racist and it was an opportunity for the leaders in the game to show they got it. But the ECB showed they just don’t get it.

“But I felt really relieved having spoken. A massive weight is off my shoulders. “I felt I got most of the stuff off my chest. I could have gone on for hours. But it was important the cause wasn’t left in the midst of all the individuals. “Structures and institutions within sport are something that need to be looked at with urgency.”

Rafiq rocked cricket with his emotional account to MPs on the DCMC select committee of the racist abuse and bullying he suffered at Yorkshire and the lack of sympathy shown by coaches and administrators.

He added: “It’s pretty clear there needs to be a total clear out. The 14 people who signed the letter to the board to discredit me, because I don’t share ‘White Rose values’ according to them, shows the environment is so embedded they can’t see what they’ve done wrong.

“I don’t think anyone in leadership can stay. You can’t leave one in there because that will hinder Lord Patel.”

Rafiq has also spoken to former cricketer and pundit David Lloyd, who apologised for messages he had sent which made comments about the Asian cricket community.

Rafiq said: “David Lloyd reached out and apologised. I told him how I felt about the stuff he said and the fact he didn’t know me.

“He was clear it hadn’t come from him. He’d been briefed by someone that was close to Yorkshire CCC, so it was disappointing,”