We must learn from brave Azeem’s pain
Cricketer’s race ordeal leaves me angry and so sad
With eloquence, dignity and humility, Azeem Rafiq revealed years of racial torment and left me, and countless others I am certain, in tears.
I was speechless as this fine cricketer revealed the humiliating pain he endured for years while representing Yorkshire.
His words left me shocked – and then angry. Very angry.
His evidence to MPs was moving and compelling.
It left me asking – why? Why did no one help? Why didn’t anyone take it seriously? Why was his story ignored?
But my overriding emotion is sadness. I’m sad that a young and talented man was pushed to the brink of suicide.
I’m sad for those who love cricket and who will feel cheated – that many at its very top have betrayed them.
And I am deeply saddened for the British Pakistani community, who are learning in bleak detail of institutional racism in cricket, when the cards are already stacked against them.
Two things play on my mind. Firstly, he talked about the loss of his baby and how he says he was treated by the club’s director of cricket, Martyn Moxon.
Azeem told MPs: “First day back after losing my son, Moxon got me in a room and ripped the shreds off me. Some of the club officials were inhuman. They weren’t really bothered about the fact I was at training one day and I got a phone call to say, ‘There’s no heartbeat’.”
Secondly, Azeem revealed that, aged 15 and a practising Muslim, he was pinned down by a senior local club player and red wine was poured into his mouth.
More than 1,000 people have contacted a discrimination hotline in the past week amid the cricket racism scandal.
Of course, the problem is not confined to sport. I’ve changed my narrative so many times because of the fear that if I said what I truly saw and believed, I’d be trolled by people saying, “She’s playing the race card”.
By moderating what I say, I let down myself, my family and others who share my heritage.
I’ve met so many people who deny elements of British society still harbour racist attitudes and have racial barriers.
Then someone like Azeem comes along, shares his truth and people gasp in disbelief.
When I saw Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Sajid Mahmood, Usman Afzaal and Owais Shah represent England, I felt cricket was changing – that it was becoming more inclusive.
But all the time a deeprooted and outdated bigotry was bubbling underneath the surface.
Thankfully, reaction to Azeem’s ordeal confirms the overwhelming majority of people in Britain will not tolerate abuse.
Those subjected to racism mustn’t suffer in silence. Please seek help. Speak out if you can.
Sadly, Azeem was back in the spotlight when he admitted posting antiSemitic remarks on social media when he was 19.
There is no excuse for that.
He apologised – rightly so. But it must not detract from what happened to him.