Yorkshire’s chairman quit today and tore into its management and culture over the Azeem Rafiq scandal and Michael Vaughan was accused of saying there were ‘too many of you lot’ to a group of Yorkshire’s British Asian stars — but the Ashes-winning England captain firmly denies the claims of racism made against him.
Minutes after Tom Harrison, Chief Executive at the ECB, stated today that he would ‘find It difficult’ for Roger Hutton to remain in his position, Roger Hutton announced his resignation.
Incendiary statements were made by him blaming Yorkshire’s “culture that refuses change” and stating that there was a “constant unwillingness of the Executive Board members to apologise for racism and to accept it”.
“I would like to take this chance to apologize unreservedly for my conduct towards Azeem. The serious allegations of racism should have been recognized by the Club at the time. He said, “I am sorry that we couldn’t persuade executive directors of the Board to recognize the gravity of this situation and show care & contrition.”
Nike and other sponsors have left the Leeds-based cricketing organization. Another former Yorkshire player has now come forward to make fresh claims of racial misconduct at their county.
The player, who is of Asian heritage, said he was the victim of numerous instances of racist abuse, ‘both blatant and sly’, during his time at the club in the early 2000s and told MailOnline: ‘I had a player p*ss on my head’.
He said last night: ‘I completely and categorically deny that I ever said those words’.
And as the ECB banned Headingley from hosting international matches and barred Gary Ballance from England duty after he admitted calling Azeem Rafiq a ‘P*ki’, a number of board members are expected to quit this morning.
The club’s reputation has been damaged by the ECB. They said that Yorkshire’s handling of the matter was ‘wholly unacceptable’ and that it was causing serious damage.
Another Asian player, who asked not to be identified because he doesn’t want his family to know, described how he quit the club disillusioned after claiming that he didn’t get the same opportunities as white players. He also claims that he was told that he would be investigated for his accusations, which never happened.
The player, who has not been made public, but was seen by Sportsmail, said that it took him’several decades to get my life together’ after his Yorkshire experiences.
He said: “Everyone in Asian cricket has known Yorkshire County Cricket Club was racist, but somehow they have been clever enough to continue with their agenda.
Michael Vaughan admitted he was named in the Azeem Rafiq report but denied racism claims
The Yorkshire Cricket Club is facing new allegations of racial misconduct by a former player
The club’s disastrous handling in the Azeem Rafiq scandal has led to these claims
“There are many Asian players like me who have had their careers ruined but have kept their heads up and continued to take the treatment for the chin.” It was not easy, and I salute them all.
Yorkshire are already under pressure after revelations that batsman Gary Ballance called his former team-mate Rafiq a ‘P***’ — an epithet the club concluded was part of ‘friendly and good-natured banter’.
Wednesday’s apology was made by Ballance, but not before sponsors severed ties with the county.
And last night Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan revealed he was another of those accused by Rafiq, denying the claim that he said in 2009: ‘Too many of you lot, we need to do something about it’ in relation to the off spinner and other Asian team-mates.
He was named in the Azeem Rafiq report amid claims he said ‘too many of you lot’ to a group of Yorkshire’s British Asian stars — but firmly denied the claims of racism made against him.
Vaughan (47), played for Yorkshire all his career, from 1993 to 2009. After retiring, he took up an advisory role at the club.
Vaughan, however, denied the racism claims in his Telegraphcolumn: ‘In December 2020, I was asked to speak before the independent panel established by Yorkshire to investigate Rafiq’s claims.
“The night before I was scheduled to give evidence, out-of-the-blue, I was hit by the news that Rafiq was alleging in his testimony that Rafiq had told Rafiq, along with two other Asian players, that in 2009, before a Yorkshire match against Nottinghamshire I had said to Rafiq that there were “too many of you bunch” and that we needed to do something about it.
“This really hit me very hard. It was like being hit in the head with a brick. I have been involved in cricket for over 30 years and have never been accused or disciplined in any way as a commentator or player.
‘I completely and categorically reject that I ever spoke those words.
47-year-old former England captain said he was eager to meet Rafiq (right), to discuss the claims
Former England captain, Ashes-winning, said that allegations against his character ‘hit him very severely’
Vaughan also denied a second claim in this report. This was that Vaughan had advised Yorkshire chiefs, Rafiq, that they sign Kane Williamson from New Zealand because of his ability bowl off-spin.
Rafiq claimed that this was racism and was intended to threaten his position as a frontline spinner in the team, while Williamson was a very occasional bowler. Rafiq said, “It’s because of my ethnicity, race, colour, and ethnic origin, that Michael Vaughan made those comments.”
Vaughan replied to the question on Thursday night by saying that he would never say that in front a group. I saw Williamson play in Twenty20 cricket and recognized that we needed three dimensional cricketers in our top 4. They could score runs, bowl overs, and field well.
“I have never discriminated against anyone nor judged a player on the basis of race. All I ask, and all I have ever asked, is “How can we improve as teams?”
“I suggested that Williamson be signed by Yorkshire. I was trying to improve our team, and my cricket knowledge suggests that it was the right choice.
Vaughan is the second individual to disclose that he is a part of the report, after Gary Ballance from Yorkshire. He said he would be happy to meet Rafiq in order to discuss the claims.
He stated, “In time I am more than happy meet with Azeem.” It would be a pleasure. I would love to sit down with him, hear his stories and get to know his perspective.
“It was very difficult for me to communicate directly with him for legal reasons, but I hope that we can now speak in person and understand one another’s point of views.”
The fresh claims by a second player against Yorkshire — which at this stage are only claims and have not yet been investigated — date back two decades and make for unpleasant reading.
Michael Vaughan said he was one of Rafiq’s accusers, debunking the claim
Gary Ballance apologised after calling his former team-mate Rafiq a ‘P***’ — an epithet Yorkshire concluded was part of ‘friendly and good-natured banter’.
The player stated, “I was subject to racism from other players both directly and indirectly.” Believe it or not, I had a player p*** on my head from the hotel bedroom above, as I was on the phone leaning out of my room window. Not to mention the many racist comments, both blatantly and sly. At the time, the coach said to ignore it and that he would deal. They never did.
In another story, the player said he overheard ‘senior players’ — both still involved at Yorkshire —talking about ‘how they ‘sh**ged a bird’ in the hotel room who was on her period and made a mess, and all they could find is a Muslim player’s prayer mat to clean it up. Is this a sick story? These are supposed to your team-mates.
Rafiq’s whistleblowing may have inspired the player to speak out, although they did not meet in county cricket.
After seven allegations of abuse were confirmed, Yorkshire has apologised for Rafiq. Another anecdote comes from the player, who claims that he was subject to humiliating treatment in practice. He said that his ‘team-mates’ would throw the ball so hard from close to the goal line that it would bruise my hands through the gloves when he was catching them. This injury led to me missing the final once.
The player stated that everyone in the Asian cricketing community knew Yorkshire was racist.
The coaches wouldn’t tell you a word. I would have had to be tougher, it seems. The statement continued: “I and others were used to calculate statistics. When people said Yorkshire were racist, their reply was: ‘How can we be — we have X amount of Asians on our books?’
‘I was denied a single chance to play second-XI cricket. How could they expect my game to improve? Other white players were allowed to play in the second XI. After initially failing, they eventually got used to it. This is what happens when you play with and against better players.
Sportsmail ran the allegations through Yorkshire and a spokesperson responded: “This behavior would be completely unacceptable to our club. It is obvious that we will investigate.
Mohammed Patel (a human-rights lawyer, founder of Heaven Help Us Cricket Club and organizer of the peaceful ‘Justice for Azeem Rafiq’ gathering outside Headingley, is organizing a peaceful ‘Justice for Azeem Rafiq’ event. This event supports charitable causes.