VIDEO. Racism scandal shakes UK and cricket world

“My wife had a very difficult pregnancy. During this period, some club leaders treated me inhumanely. It didn’t bother them that one day while I was training I got a phone call to tell me the baby’s heart wasn’t beating. “This is the testimony of the cricket player Azeem Rafiq denouncing the racism and discrimination he suffered at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, during a parliamentary committee in the United Kingdom.

Born in Pakistan, Azeem Rafiq immigrated to England in 2001. He played for the Yorkshire County Cricket Club and played for the National Under-15 team and even became under-17 captain. In 2020, he accuses the Yorkshire County Cricket Club of direct discrimination and harassment. The club apologizes to Rafiq, but denies the charges of racism. “Quite quickly, other people of Asian descent and I were told things like “You sit over there by the toilet” or “elephant washers.“. The word “paki” was used constantly. These were behaviors that were accepted by the leaders. And no one ever put an end to it“, he laments.

He explains that all racialized players have been discriminated against and accuses Jack Brooks, a member of his team, of giving Cheteshwar Pujara a racist nickname. Jack Brooks has yet to respond to these accusations. Azeem Rafiq also denounces Gary Ballance, captain of the team at the time, with whom he previously had a good relationship. Gary Ballance then indicates that he regrets his racist remarks and was not aware of hurting Azeem Rafiq.

When Azeem Rafiq started complaining about this racism, he was told it was “difficult”. In 2017, Azeem Rafiq lost her son at birth after a difficult pregnancy. He then decides to leave the club a few months before the end of his contract.