Cricket
'I lost my career to racism': Azeem Rafiq breaks down during painful hearing
Azeem Rafiq lays out new details of how he had been subjected to racism in English cricket - naming prominent cricketers like current Test captain Joe Root and former captain Michael Vaughan to show how deep the rot is.
Azeem Rafiq breaks down during recalling details of racism he endured in English cricket (Screenshot)
Breaking down in tears more than once during a painful hearing, former cricketer Azeem Rafiq laid out new details on the extent of racism in English cricket in front of a British parliamentary committee on Tuesday. Rafiq revealed some new details of abuse - like being forced to drink wine in his cricket club - and named some prominent cricketers like Matthew Hoggard, Tim Bresnan, Gary Ballance, commentator David Lloyd and even current Test captain Joe Root to show how deep the rot is.
"I lost my career to racism. I don't want my son to go anywhere near cricket," a tearful Rafiq said during the hearing, which was adjourned once to let him recover.
Rafiq, a former England Under-19 captain with roots in Pakistan, said he felt "isolated, humiliated at times" by his treatment at Yorkshire during two spells playing for the club from 2008 to 2018. Rafiq said Yorkshire teammates used an offensive term referencing his Pakistani heritage, and that such terms were treated as 'banter' by the club's leadership as well.
"Pretty early on, me and other people from an Asian background," Rafiq told a House of Commons select committee overseeing sport, "there were comments such as, 'You lot sit there near the toilets,' 'Elephant washers.' The word P*** was used constantly. And there just seemed to be an acceptance in the institution from the leaders."
Speaking on specific individuals, Rafeeq said: "Gary Ballance walks over and goes, 'Why are you talking to him? You know he's a P***.' Or, 'He's not a sheikh, he's got no oil."
Rafeeq said Joe Root, while not having engaged in racist discourse himself, was not being truthful when he had said recently that he had never heard racial abuse, given that he was Ballance's housemate. "To be clear Rooty's a good man, he's never engaged in racist language."
Asked if there had been any players standing up for him, Rafeeq spoke about Tino Best and Rana Naved, both overseas players.
Among other lurid details, Rafeeq disclosed how aged 15, he had been pinned down had red wine poured down his throat.
