Root stands firm on abuse rebuttal
ENGLAND Test captain Joe Root said on Monday (29) he stood by his statement that he could not recall witnessing any instances of racism at Yorkshire cricket club.
The game in England has been rocked by damaging revelations from Pakistan-born former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq, who made a number of allegations against highprofile figures.
Rafiq said he found Root’s denial of ever hearing racist language “hurtful” when he gave harrowing testimony to lawmakers last month concerning abuse he suffered over two spells at the county.
Root, who said he had exchanged messages with Rafiq since he gave his evidence, insisted again on Monday that he had never heard anything untoward.
“I stand by what I said,” said Root, who is currently in Australia leading preparations for his team’s upcoming Ashes series.
“I don’t recall those incidences and, you know, if they are oversights on my part then that’s an area which we all have to learn from.
“I think about things that have happened since then. There have been other things that have happened on a cricket field where I feel like I have stepped in and called things out.
“I think that comes from growth and learning and understanding and education.”
Root was praised in 2019 for calling out alleged homophobic language during a match against the West Indies.
Meanwhile, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) unveiled a 12-point action plan to combat discrimination in the sport last Friday (26), including a review of dressing-room culture.
Rafiq told MPs that the use of the name “Kevin” as a derogatory term to describe any person of colour by his Yorkshire teammate Gary Ballance was an open secret in the England dressing room.
Asked about that, Root said: “That’s part of a live investigation and I’m currently not able to discuss matters on that because of that investigation. Clearly it is a phrase which you should never be using in any part of society.”