Yorkshire Cricket racism scandal (2 Viewers)

[PVA]

Anyone been following this? Truly awful.


Former player Azeem Rafiq files complaints of rampant racism through the organisation during his time there.

Yorkshire CCC conduct their own review and find that they did nothing wrong and no action is required. That's bad enough. But the worst bit...

They find that a senior player regularly calling Rafiq a 'p**i' to the point he was reduced to tears is just friendly banter and no action required against the senior player. However they find that Rafiq calling a Zimbabwean player 'Zimbo' is racist and derogatory, and if he was still at the club Rafiq would face disciplinary action.

Fucking astonishing. How on earth did they think that was a good idea?

MP's getting involved now, looks like it will turn nasty for Yorkshire CCC and rightly so.

At least one Yorkshire player admitted to regularly using the term 'P**i' when talking to Azeem Rafiq, according to the report into racism at the club. But he was cleared of wrongdoing on the basis that it was perceived as, what the report says was, friendly, good-natured "banter" between the two players.

The player also admitted to telling other people "don't talk to him [Rafiq], he's a P**i", asking "is that your uncle?" when they saw bearded Asian men and saying "does your dad own those?" in reference to corner shops.

Despite admitting recalling that Rafiq broke down in tears at one point, the player insisted he had no idea he was causing offence and would have stopped if Rafiq had asked.

The individual concerned, who ESPNcricinfo have chosen not to name, is a current senior player at the club.

While the investigating team (the lawyers who were charged with gathering evidence for the report) found such comments to be "capable of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment…" and accepted Rafiq's "evidence that he was offended, degraded or humiliated and that this amounted to harassment under the Equality Act and the Club's Equal Opportunities policy", the panel (who were charged with making conclusions and recommendations and which included a non-executive member of the Yorkshire board) disagreed.

Their conclusions state "The Panel does not accept that Azeem was offended by [the other player's] comments, either at the time they were made or subsequently."

They go on to say that, in the context of "banter between friends" Rafiq might be "expected to take such comments in the spirit in which they were intended (i.e. good natured banter between friends)… [so] it was not reasonable for Azeem to have been offended by [the other player] directing equally offensive or derogatory comments back at him in the same spirit of friendly banter."

Indeed, the panel accuses Rafiq of using "offensive, racially derogatory comments" when referring to a player of Zimbabwean heritage as "Zimbo from Zimbabwe". The panel viewed this as "a racist, derogatory term" and recommends that, were Rafiq still a Yorkshire player, he should face disciplinary action for using it.

The revelation, which comes days after Yorkshire announced that none of their players, coaches or executives would face disciplinary action as a result of the investigation, may increase doubts over the process and the report that has produced. In particular, equating the terms 'P**i', which is a long-established derogatory term with a history of racist usage, and 'Zimbo', which is generally held to be an abbreviation akin to Aussie or Kiwi without pejorative association, is likely to raise eyebrows.

The ECB, who have been sent Yorkshire's report in recent days after several month's delay, are currently reviewing the information.

 

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[chiefdave]

The more that comes out the worse it gets. Yorkshire just don't want to admit that there's anything that needs changing at the club and sadly a decent chuck of their supporters seem to agree.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Strange that Rashid has managed to stop there through all of this.

 

[CCFCSteve]

Anyone been following this? Truly awful.


Former player Azeem Rafiq files complaints of rampant racism through the organisation during his time there.

Yorkshire CCC conduct their own review and find that they did nothing wrong and no action is required. That's bad enough. But the worst bit...

They find that a senior player regularly calling Rafiq a 'p**i' to the point he was reduced to tears is just friendly banter and no action required against the senior player. However they find that Rafiq calling a Zimbabwean player 'Zimbo' is racist and derogatory, and if he was still at the club Rafiq would face disciplinary action.

Fucking astonishing. How on earth did they think that was a good idea?

MP's getting involved now, looks like it will turn nasty for Yorkshire CCC and rightly so.

I agree. I can’t believe Yorkshire CC thought they could just sweep it under the carpet. Not taking action against anyone is a disgrace. They just appear totally tone deaf

 

[chiefdave]

I agree. I can’t believe Yorkshire CC thought they could just sweep it under the carpet. Not taking action against anyone is a disgrace. They just appear totally tone deaf

Having sat on the report for months while people were asking where it was they finally put out the press release, but still didn't release the report, on the morning the England v India test was cancelled. Whole thing has been appallingly handled.

 

[PVA]

Strange that Rashid has managed to stop there through all of this.

Rashid made a complaint a few years ago and has since said the issue has been resolved.

He barely plays for Yorkshire these days so can't imagine he's in and around the setup very much.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Rashid made a complaint a few years ago and has since said the issue has been resolved.

He barely plays for Yorkshire these days so can't imagine he's in and around the setup very much.

I bet he is there a lot training he hasn’t developed the skills he has sitting watching the tv.

 

[PVA]

I bet he is there a lot training he hasn’t developed the skills he has sitting watching the tv.

He has an England central contract so he'll do his training with England, not Yorkshire.

 

[skybluetony176]

Strange that Rashid has managed to stop there through all of this.

Why is it strange?

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Why is it strange?

As a fellow British Pakistani player you would have thought he would have had the same sort of treatment and being a better player could easily have walked away.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

He has an England central contract so he'll do his training with England, not Yorkshire.

He hasn’t he has a white ball contract that is a lot different and will most likely mean more time at Yorkshire.

I don’t agree with what has been said to Rafiq from the bits we have seen

 

[PVA]

He hasn’t he has a white ball contract that is a lot different and will most likely mean more time at Yorkshire.

I don’t agree with what has been said to Rafiq from the bits we have seen

No such thing as a white ball contract anymore, England players get central contracts with no reference to red or white ball

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

No such thing as a white ball contract anymore, England players get central contracts with no reference to red or white ball

Ok

These are historic complaints when they did separate contracts though.

It is a shame this has happened but if was going to happen at any club it would be Yorkshire.

 

[clint van damme]

Anyone been following this? Truly awful.


Former player Azeem Rafiq files complaints of rampant racism through the organisation during his time there.

Yorkshire CCC conduct their own review and find that they did nothing wrong and no action is required. That's bad enough. But the worst bit...

They find that a senior player regularly calling Rafiq a 'p**i' to the point he was reduced to tears is just friendly banter and no action required against the senior player. However they find that Rafiq calling a Zimbabwean player 'Zimbo' is racist and derogatory, and if he was still at the club Rafiq would face disciplinary action.

Fucking astonishing. How on earth did they think that was a good idea?

MP's getting involved now, looks like it will turn nasty for Yorkshire CCC and rightly so.

This is why organisations shouldn't be allowed to investigate themselves or hand pick the members of 'independent' review boards.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Anyone been following this? Truly awful.


Former player Azeem Rafiq files complaints of rampant racism through the organisation during his time there.

Yorkshire CCC conduct their own review and find that they did nothing wrong and no action is required. That's bad enough. But the worst bit...

They find that a senior player regularly calling Rafiq a 'p**i' to the point he was reduced to tears is just friendly banter and no action required against the senior player. However they find that Rafiq calling a Zimbabwean player 'Zimbo' is racist and derogatory, and if he was still at the club Rafiq would face disciplinary action.

Fucking astonishing. How on earth did they think that was a good idea?

MP's getting involved now, looks like it will turn nasty for Yorkshire CCC and rightly so.

Unbelievable response. If anything tells you the club and sport is run by old, affluent white men this is it.

How you can find someone being called a 'p***' banter is pretty much incomprehensible. It's been totally unacceptable and been considered racist for decades. To then say that the player himself would have faced disciplinary action is mind-blowing.

 

[Frostie]

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Unbelievable response. If anything tells you the club and sport is run by old, affluent white men this is it.

How you can find someone being called a 'p***' banter is pretty much incomprehensible. It's been totally unacceptable and been considered racist for decades. To then say that the player himself would have faced disciplinary action is mind-blowing.

The counter argument is just ridiculous it was just a case of finding something and anything would do.

something must be wrong at Yorkshire as they have a huge catchment area and have produced very few Asian players and if you go a couple of levels down some of the finest players and people I have played with and against are British Asian players.

 

[skybluetony176]

As a fellow British Pakistani player you would have thought he would have had the same sort of treatment and being a better player could easily have walked away.

Why should he have walked away? He wasn’t the issue was he?

Should black footballers walk away every time they’re racially abused? There wouldn’t be any black players in the game if you’re suggesting that’s the right course of action.

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Why should he have walked away? He wasn’t the issue was he?

Should black footballers walk away every time they’re racially abused? There wouldn’t be any black players in the game if you’re suggesting that’s the right course of action.

You would think if Rafiq was getting the banter (their words not mine) then surely he would have been getting the same so he could have found another county as he has always been a talent. I wasn’t saying walk away from the game but the county.

 

[skybluetony176]

You would think if Rafiq was getting the banter (their words not mine) then surely he would have been getting the same so he could have found another county as he has always been a talent. I wasn’t saying walk away from the game but the county.

So the victim should leave while the victimisers remain ready to racially abuse the next victim. Are you really saying that?

 

[COV]

You would think if Rafiq was getting the banter (their words not mine) then surely he would have been getting the same so he could have found another county as he has always been a talent. I wasn’t saying walk away from the game but the county.

He should just walk away and let them crack on with it? Horrible point of view

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

So the victim should leave while the victimisers remain ready to racially abuse the next victim. Are you really saying that?

Rafiq did leave the county and then went back why go back (I am not sure if it happened on his first time at the club or second)

There will be change at Yorkshire as the members have now spoken to say they are not happy.

 

[skybluetony176]

Rafiq did leave the county and then went back why go back (I am not sure if it happened on his first time at the club or second)

There will be change at Yorkshire as the members have now spoken to say they are not happy.

Maybe he has to earn a living.

 

[clint van damme]

Just been a cricket journalist on 5live discussing this.
He said it goes very deep and beyond Yorkshire cricket club, said he was let down by the players union as well. Think this story is going to run and run, excuse the pun.

 

[skybluetony176]

Just been a cricket journalist on 5live discussing this.
He said it goes very deep and beyond Yorkshire cricket club, said he was let down by the players union as well. Think this story is going to run and run, excuse the pun.

Might explain why he didn’t just leave and go to another club as being suggested was all he had to do. If this behaviour is endemic throughout the sport where exactly are you going to move too to avoid it.

 

[chiefdave]

Might explain why he didn’t just leave and go to another club as being suggested was all he had to do. If this behaviour is endemic throughout the sport where exactly are you going to move too to avoid it.

There was some not great things mentioned on a documentary Sky showed over the summer. Its on YouTube, 'You Guys Are History'.

 

[CCFCSteve]

Just been a cricket journalist on 5live discussing this.
He said it goes very deep and beyond Yorkshire cricket club, said he was let down by the players union as well. Think this story is going to run and run, excuse the pun.

Yeah, it’s not sitting well with me this. I remember hearing Michael Carberry talk about racism in the game last year and thought what he was saying sounded a bit OTT* - I guess there was part of me that just didn’t want to believe it.

I think you’re right though Clint, there is going to be more to come

*as in how widespread he was suggesting it was. I was wondering if it was just some bad personal experiences he’d had

 

[Terry Gibson's perm]

Gary Ballance admits it was him to made the racial slur.

 

[COV]

Gary Ballance admits it was him to made the racial slur.

As well as repeatedly calling him a p**i, he apparently:

* Told other people “don't talk to Rafiq, he's a P**i”

* Asked Rafiq “is that your uncle?” when bearded Asian men were in view

* Said in reference to corner shops, “Does your Dad own those?”

Despite all this, and the fact that Rafiq was seen crying after one of the incidents, this Ballance guy was cleared and it was all dismissed as ‘banter’

Just to top it all off, Yorkshire Cricket Club doubled down and refused to do anything even after this came out, but did say that Rafiq would face disciplinary action if he was still there, because he called Ballance ‘zimbo’, an inoffensive abbreviation of ‘Zimbabwean’.

 

[PVA]

Ballance claims Rafiq was his best mate and had no idea he took offence to it

 

[COV]

Ballance claims Rafiq was his best mate and had no idea he took offence to it

I know nothing about cricket or this guy and I hate the sport, so I’m in no position to comment on that, but to be on record saying those things and have zero sanctions whatsoever & have it brushed under the carpet- that’s a fucking disgrace

 

[Deleted member 5849]

I *try* to empathise with people, work out where they're coming from. I could see, just about, how Ballance could be woefully misguided, and not realise he was causing offence. What's truly astonishing is the conclusions of the investigation, in effect condoning it, and also encouraging it in their own way.

 

[JAM See]

Just been a cricket journalist on 5live discussing this.
He said it goes very deep and beyond Yorkshire cricket club, said he was let down by the players union as well. Think this story is going to run and run, excuse the pun.

How's that a pun?

 

[clint van damme]

How's that a pun?

run and run?

 

[JAM See]

Just been a cricket journalist on 5live discussing this.
He said it goes very deep and beyond Yorkshire cricket club, said he was let down by the players union as well. Think this story is going to run and run, excuse the pun.

How's that a pun?

run and run?

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When you have to explain a joke, it's not really a joke is it?

Fail on my part.