[VIDEO] Azeem Rafiq gives evidence to MPs at racism hearing

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The racism scandal that has engulfed Yorkshire County Cricket Club and the English game since 2020 will come to a head over the coming days.

More than two and a half years have passed since former Yorkshire spinner Azeem Rafiq first made claims of racism at Yorkshire, later calling English cricket "institutionally racist".

On Wednesday, a long-awaited Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) hearing will begin in London and run until 9 March.

 

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England’s Ashes-winning bowler Matthew Hoggard was accused of racist and discriminatory language as the long-awaited Cricket Disciplinary Commission hearing into Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of racism in Yorkshire cricket began on Wednesday.

Setting out the England and Wales Cricket Board’s case against Hoggard, Jane Mulcahy KC said that he had used racist and/or discriminatory language during the 2008 cricket season including “You ***** are all the same” and “you lot sit over there” when referring to Rafiq and other Asian players in the Yorkshire squad.

The ECB also alleged that Rafiq was referred to as “Rafa the Kaffir” during the 2008 season and that Hoggard called another player at the club a “token black man” and/or TBM.

Hoggard is one of six Yorkshire players and staff charged under ECB directive 3.3, which governs conduct that is improper or which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer into disrepute.

Five of those – Hoggard, John Blain, Tim Bresnan, Andrew Gale and Richard Pyrah – decided last month not to engage any further in the ECB disciplinary process, while the former England captain Michael Vaughan will contest the charges against him at the CDC later this week.

Outlining the ECB’s case against Hoggard, Mulcahy said that the bowler had admitted to using the P-word and “Token Black Man” but denied any racist or discriminatory intent.

Hoggard had also admitted to using the term “Rafa the Kaffir” but denied that he had created it, or that it carried a racist meaning. Instead, he claimed that it was used to denote a person of Muslim faith who did not practise the religion to strict conformity.

But that explanation was dismissed by Mulcahy, who said that as the bowler had played in South Africa he knew a few words of the language. She also pointed out that in 2008 Rafiq was “observant of his religion and did not drink, as he later did in order to fit in”.

Another England cricketer of Asian descent, Monty Panesar, has told the ECB that he had never heard Hoggard speak to anyone in an offensive or inappropriate way, “let alone a manner which could be construed as racially discriminatory”.

However Mulcahy told the CDC panel it should give much greater weight to Hoggard’s “very serious admissions” about his use of language than Panesar’s evidence, which would not be tested in cross-examination.

She added that Hoggard’s admitted use of the P-word, also showed evidence of “a prevailing atmosphere at Yorkshire County Cricket Club at the relevant time in which this word was commonly used.

“This is consistent with Yorkshire’s admission that it failed adequately to address systemic use of racist or discriminatory language over a prolonged period.”

Mulcahy also took the opportunity to correct what she called “a number of misrepresentations about this disciplinary process” made by some of the defendants.

She said that Hoggard’s claim in the media that the “ECB is refusing to hand over evidence is incorrect” and said the respondents had been given hundreds of documents.

Mulcahy also said that Pyrah’s claim that the ECB had never accused him of racism was “false” as specific allegations about his conduct were put to him in a letter on 9 February 2022.

Finally she stated Bresnan’s claim in the media that he had been charged without being interviewed was “evidentially incorrect” given there was a transcript of his interview with the ECB in the documents provided to the panel.

The hearing, which is scheduled to run until 7 March, continues.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...ed-cdc-hearing-cricket?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

 

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Former England bowler Tim Bresnan used a racial slur towards Azeem Rafiq's sister, a hearing into allegations of racism at Yorkshire has been told.

Rafiq claimed Bresnan used the term towards his sister Amna during a media day at Headingley in 2014.

Bresnan, who is not taking part in the process, denies the allegation.

The claim was part of the evidence heard on the first day of the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) hearing into alleged racism at Yorkshire.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also set out its cases against former England bowler Matthew Hoggard and ex-Yorkshire coach John Blain, who have both withdrawn from proceedings.

The ECB will state its cases against former Yorkshire head coach Andrew Gale and bowling coach Richard Pyrah, who will both not attend, on Thursday before moving on to former England captain Michael Vaughan, who is set to appear.

Recap: Live updates from the Yorkshire CCC racism hearing
Yorkshire cricket racism hearing begins - all you need to know
Rafiq said former Yorkshire team-mates Bresnan and Gary Ballance used the phrase in reference to his sister's Pakistani heritage when they saw her at the media day while she was on work experience with the county.

Ballance has previously admitted using the term. He has admitted liability in response to his charge and will not participate.

The allegation formed part of the ECB's case against Bresnan, who has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute.

The ECB's lawyer Jane Mulcahy, speaking at the International Arbitration Centre in London, said Rafiq also alleged Bresnan used the racial slur towards or about Asian women he found attractive from about 2014 onwards.

Rafiq also claimed Bresnan, 38, used the phrase to refer to an Asian woman who walked past them in a bar at a team hotel in Birmingham in July 2018.

Bresnan, who played 23 Tests and 85 one-day internationals for England, said he had never and would never use these terms.

In his initial response to the ECB and an interview with the governing body, Bresnan denied he had ever met Amna Rafiq. Later, he admitted he had seen her from afar when she was working at Leicester.

Bresnan, who withdrew from proceedings in February, also denied ever being alone in a bar with Rafiq.

What are the other claims against Bresnan?
The two other parts of the charge against Bresnan concern allegations he used the terms "the brothers" and "you lot" in reference to Asian players at Yorkshire.

Rafiq alleged Bresnan would regularly refer to him and other Asian players including England spinner Adil Rashid as "the brothers".

It is also claimed Bresnan used the term towards Rafiq, Rashid, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan before a Twenty20 match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in June 2009.

Vaughan is accused of saying "too many of you lot, we need to do something about it" to those four Asian players before the same match, which he "completely and categorically denies".

Bresnan said he had no recollection of asking "what are the brothers doing for dinner?" and said he was unlikely to use that phraseology. He said he did use the term "brothers" or "brother" but not in a racial context.

Shahzad said in his interview with the ECB that he did not hear Bresnan use racist terminology but he declined to provide a witness statement to the CDC proceedings.

Rafiq accused Bresnan of using the phrase "you lot" regularly, and specifically towards him and Rashid before a County Championship match against Derbyshire on 15 August 2012.

Bresnan admitted using the term regularly but denied it was in a racial context. He also said he had no recollection of the specific game against Derbyshire.

Bresnan is also accused of asking former Yorkshire player Moin Ashraf "why do you lot pray before you bowl?" during T20 Finals Day in August 2012. Bresnan said he asked because he was genuinely interested and denied using the phrase "you lot" as part of the question.

The ECB's case is that it is "more likely than not" Bresnan used these phrases in a racist or discriminatory manner, given Yorkshire have admitted a "systemic" use of such language during the relevant period, that Bresnan has admitted using the terms - albeit denying any racial connotation - and that others involved in the case have admitted using such terms.

In the ECB's opening submissions, Mulcahy took the opportunity to "correct a number of misrepresentations" about the disciplinary process she claimed had been made by Bresnan, Blain, Pyrah and Hoggard to the media.

Pyrah and Bresnan both claimed they had never been interviewed during the ECB's investigation, but the ECB said it has evidence to the contrary, namely interview transcripts.

Hoggard made a similar claim, but the ECB has evidence showing that after it initially wrote to him with the opportunity to provide written responses to the allegations made against him, he did so before informing the ECB he would not respond further, therefore denying himself the opportunity of an interview.

Mulcahy also questioned Hoggard's claim he was not invited to participate in the investigation into Rafiq's claims by law firm Squire Patton Bogg (SPB), which upheld seven of the 43 allegations.

She said emails from former acting chief executive Paul Hudson to Hoggard included attached emails from the investigation team to Hoggard, who denies receiving those messages. Hudson also reported the investigation team left a voicemail for Hoggard in March 2021.

Former England bowler Hoggard was charged by the ECB following allegations he used racial slurs as well as referring to Rafiq and other Asian players in the Yorkshire squad as "you lot".

He admitted to using the first racist term and while he does not remember specifically using the second, he denied any racist or discriminatory intent. He also denied referring to Asian players or any other ethnic group as "you lot".

It is also alleged Hoggard used the term 'token black man' or 'TBM' towards Ismail Dawood in 2004 and/or 2005 in the dressing room and in public.

Hoggard claims ex-wicketkeeper and umpire Dawood gave himself the nickname on Hoggard's stag do in Dublin.

Dawood told BBC Sport in February this was "another feeble attempt to malign and ridicule" and was "simply not true", and in his witness statement said Hoggard had used the phrase throughout the 2004 season.

BBC

 

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Fairplay to Rafiq for following this through.

 

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Day two began two hours later than scheduled, starting with Michael Vaughan's lawyer, Christopher Stoner KC, outlining his client's defence and reiterting that Vaughan denies the allegation made against him. Stoner says Rafiq's recollection of events cannot be relied on.

Adil Rashid appeared via video link from Bangladesh and confirmed he had heard the alleged comment from Vaughan, though believes the former England captain is not a racist and it was a "poor attempt at humour".

Rashid denied being pressurised into corroborating his "close friend" Rafiq's allegation against Vaughan.

Rashid also denied deleting WhatsApp messages between him and Rafiq regarding the Vaughan allegation.

Rafiq was cross-examined and stood by his account of the 2009 "you lot" comment by Vaughan, but accepted there were some mistakes in his evidence.

Rafiq said he wishes he'd had the courage to speak up earlier, adding he carries the "mental scars".

Vaughan did not appear in proceedings as expected and looks set to give evidence on Friday.

 

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I'm not sure why he's got Vaughan involved.

Seems a case of overzealous prosecutors and neither Rafiq nor Rashid sounded credible

 

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It seems like everyone was abusing each other in Yorkshire at this point.

 

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The investigation into whether former England captain Michael Vaughan made an alleged racist comment in 2009 was "woefully inadequate", a hearing has been told.

The investigation was held by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), starting in October 2021 before charges were brought in June 2022.

Vaughan, 48, is accused of saying "there's too many of you lot, we need to have a word about that" to Azeem Rafiq and three other Asian players representing Yorkshire before a T20 match against Nottinghamshire.

In his closing submissions to a Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) panel on Tuesday, Vaughan's lawyer Christopher Stoner KC accused the ECB of having a "biased position".

In reply, ECB lawyer Jane Mulcahy KC said it was "simply not true" the body has been biased in this case and it was "inappropriate" to make that allegation.

Mulcahy said Vaughan and his legal team had gone to "ridiculous lengths" to "unfairly throw mud at the ECB" in their questioning of the investigation.

She said it is "inherently probable" Vaughan made the alleged comment to Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Ajmal Shahzad on 22 June 2009. Vaughan has repeatedly denied the allegation.

England spinner Rashid and former Pakistan bowler Naved-ul-Hasan have corroborated Rafiq's claim.

The fourth player in the group, former England bowler Shahzad, has said he has no recollection of it happening.

Stoner said there were "inconsistencies" in the the case and Rafiq's allegation, adding that "due process" was "sent on holiday" by the ECB.

"This was prosecution from the outset," said Stoner, who argued it was "inherently improbable" Vaughan made the alleged comment.

The CDC panel, chaired by Tim O'Gorman, will attempt to deliver their written judgements in the case of Vaughan and all the other respondents by the end of March.

The hearing at the International Arbitration Centre continues until Thursday but the rest will be conducted in private.

BBC