English cricket and some of its representatives have been in hot water after former Yorkshire player Azim Rafiq made some serious allegations of racism. The incident has not only shook the cricketing world but has also inspired many players to reveal their bad experiences.
But who is Azeem Rafiq whose claims have led to the resignation of many top officials?
Rafiq is a former Pakistan-born professional cricketer who moved to England in 2001. He became a member of Yorkshire’s cricket academy and was named the captain of England Under-15 in 2006. He achieved and started achieving success in a very short span of time. Appreciation for his performance. In 2007, he became Yorkshire’s Junior Performer of the Year and in 2008, he received the Brian Johnson Memorial Trust Scholarship.
Career start in senior cricket
In June 2008, Rafiq made his debut for Yorkshire in a Twenty20 Cup match against Nottinghamshire. Since he did not have a UK passport, he had to wait to be registered as a domestic player. Meanwhile, he was given a special exemption by the ECB. Once his citizenship was confirmed, he signed a three-year deal with Yorkshire and began his senior cricket career as a domestic player.
under-19 days
Rafiq soon made it to the England Under-19s and was named captain during South Africa’s tour of England in 2009. Later in the year, he led the English Colts in a tour of Bangladesh and again in a tour of New Zealand in early 2010. Then-coach Mark Robinson praised his leadership and competitiveness.
sanctions by the ECB
Later in 2010, Rafiq became involved in a controversy as he was dropped from the team for a mid-match curfew during a series against Sri Lanka Under-19s. He then posted some distasteful tweets targeting his new coach John Abraham but later deleted them. While Yorkshire suspended him, he was given a one-month ban from all forms of cricket.
In 2011, he joined Derbyshire County. Cricket The club took loan and played three county championship games and had a great time. He took around 11 wickets before returning to Yorkshire. At the end of the season, he signed a 2-year contract extension with Yorkshire CCC after the club was relegated to Division One of the County Championship.
return to yorkshire
Rafik was back in Yorkshire and was set to play the County Championship for the first time since 2010. Fellow spinner Adil Rashid was dropped and Rafiq got a spot. He led the club in six matches after regular captain Andrew Gayle was injured. He became the youngest captain for the club and, moreover, the first player of Asian descent to lead Yorkshire. The side won five of the six matches and made it to the final which they lost to Hampshire.
By the end of the season, Rafiq was a star performer and Yorkshire had achieved Division One stature. That year he took 26 wickets in 16 matches.
After a stellar stint, he had to leave the county as he suffered a knee injury and restricted his cricketing activities.
Second return to Yorkshire
Rafiq returned to Yorkshire in 2016 after completely overcoming problems in his action and coaching in Dubai. He then bowled to the team’s new coach, their former captain Andrew Gayle. He was asked to play a second XI match and then made it to the county’s first week the following week.
In 2016, he picked up 24 wickets, of which 15 were in T20 Blasts. In 2017, he was the county’s leading wicket-taker in the One Day Cup. The following year he was released by the club citing budget issues and then moved to Pakistan and played in a singles first-class in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy before joining minor county cricket for Lincolnshire CCC.
career statistics
In his short career, Azeem played 39 first-class matches and took 72 wickets. In 35 List A matches, he took 43 wickets and has 102 scalps in 95 T20Is.
Exposure to incidents of racism.
They spoke for the first time in September 2020. Speaking in an interview with ESPNcricinfo, he claimed that the ‘institutional racism’ in Yorkshire CCC shattered him and forced him to take his own life. Rafiq claimed that there was a threat of abuse and said that racist language was used about his Pakistani background during his tenure at the club.
Yorkshire’s response
Yorkshire CCC launched a ‘formal investigation’ in response to Rafiq’s claim. The following year, it acknowledged that the cricketer had been the victim of ‘racial harassment’, upholding 7 of the 43 charges.
The club said on 28 October that no official would face any disciplinary action. Speaker Roger Hutton said there was ‘insufficient evidence’ to justify the claims.
Result
November 4, 2021: The ECB suspends Yorkshire from hosting international games at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.
November 5, 2021: Hutton resigns and apologizes ‘unconditionally’ to Rafiq.
Several other board members also resigned, including Yorkshire chief executive Mark Arthur.
Rafiq appeared in front of MPs
On Tuesday, 16 November, Rafiq appeared before a UK parliamentary committee to face questions from lawmakers.
His claims include that red wine was once poured down his throat after he was forcefully poured. This came to the fore during his early playing days at a local club when he was 15 years old. He said it was done by a former Yorkshire and Hampshire player.
“I was pinned at my local cricket club and had red wine poured down my throat, literally down my throat. Players played for Yorkshire and Hampshire. I [then] Didn’t touch alcohol until about 2012 and around that time I felt I had to do it to get fit. I was not perfect, there are some things that I felt I had to do to achieve my dreams. I deeply regret it but it has nothing to do with racism,” Rafiq said.
In the latest development, Rafiq apologized on Thursday after admitting to sending anti-Semitic messages 10 years ago. British newspaper The Times of London reported that it had seen an exchange of messages between Rafiq and another former cricketer, Atiq Javid, and contained derogatory remarks about an unidentified Jewish man.
Rafiq confirmed in a post on Twitter that he sent the messages and that he had “absolutely no excuse.”
“I am embarrassed by this exchange and have now removed it so that there is no further offense,” Rafiq wrote. “I was 19 at the time and I hope and believe that I am a different person today. I am incredibly angry at myself and I apologize to the Jewish community and to all who have been hurt by this.”
Who is Azim Rafiq – the Yorkshire player who shook England amid the apartheid scandal
English cricket and some of its representatives have been in hot water after former Yorkshire player Azim Rafiq made some serious allegations of racism. The incident has not only shook the cricketing world but has also inspired many players to reveal their bad experiences.
But who is Azeem Rafiq whose claims have led to the resignation of many top officials?
Rafiq is a former Pakistan-born professional cricketer who moved to England in 2001. He became a member of Yorkshire’s cricket academy and was named the captain of England Under-15 in 2006. He achieved and started achieving success in a very short span of time. Appreciation for his performance. In 2007, he became Yorkshire’s Junior Performer of the Year and in 2008, he received the Brian Johnson Memorial Trust Scholarship.
Career start in senior cricket
In June 2008, Rafiq made his debut for Yorkshire in a Twenty20 Cup match against Nottinghamshire. Since he did not have a UK passport, he had to wait to be registered as a domestic player. Meanwhile, he was given a special exemption by the ECB. Once his citizenship was confirmed, he signed a three-year deal with Yorkshire and began his senior cricket career as a domestic player.
under-19 days
Rafiq soon made it to the England Under-19s and was named captain during South Africa’s tour of England in 2009. Later in the year, he led the English Colts in a tour of Bangladesh and again in a tour of New Zealand in early 2010. Then-coach Mark Robinson praised his leadership and competitiveness.
sanctions by the ECB
Later in 2010, Rafiq became involved in a controversy as he was dropped from the team for a mid-match curfew during a series against Sri Lanka Under-19s. He then posted some distasteful tweets targeting his new coach John Abraham but later deleted them. While Yorkshire suspended him, he was given a one-month ban from all forms of cricket.
Read also: ‘They talk straight’ – Salman Butt impressed by Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli’s blunt visuals
tenure in Derbyshire
In 2011, he joined Derbyshire County. Cricket The club took loan and played three county championship games and had a great time. He took around 11 wickets before returning to Yorkshire. At the end of the season, he signed a 2-year contract extension with Yorkshire CCC after the club was relegated to Division One of the County Championship.
return to yorkshire
Rafik was back in Yorkshire and was set to play the County Championship for the first time since 2010. Fellow spinner Adil Rashid was dropped and Rafiq got a spot. He led the club in six matches after regular captain Andrew Gayle was injured. He became the youngest captain for the club and, moreover, the first player of Asian descent to lead Yorkshire. The side won five of the six matches and made it to the final which they lost to Hampshire.
By the end of the season, Rafiq was a star performer and Yorkshire had achieved Division One stature. That year he took 26 wickets in 16 matches.
After a stellar stint, he had to leave the county as he suffered a knee injury and restricted his cricketing activities.
Second return to Yorkshire
Rafiq returned to Yorkshire in 2016 after completely overcoming problems in his action and coaching in Dubai. He then bowled to the team’s new coach, their former captain Andrew Gayle. He was asked to play a second XI match and then made it to the county’s first week the following week.
In 2016, he picked up 24 wickets, of which 15 were in T20 Blasts. In 2017, he was the county’s leading wicket-taker in the One Day Cup. The following year he was released by the club citing budget issues and then moved to Pakistan and played in a singles first-class in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy before joining minor county cricket for Lincolnshire CCC.
career statistics
In his short career, Azeem played 39 first-class matches and took 72 wickets. In 35 List A matches, he took 43 wickets and has 102 scalps in 95 T20Is.
Exposure to incidents of racism.
They spoke for the first time in September 2020. Speaking in an interview with ESPNcricinfo, he claimed that the ‘institutional racism’ in Yorkshire CCC shattered him and forced him to take his own life. Rafiq claimed that there was a threat of abuse and said that racist language was used about his Pakistani background during his tenure at the club.
Yorkshire’s response
Yorkshire CCC launched a ‘formal investigation’ in response to Rafiq’s claim. The following year, it acknowledged that the cricketer had been the victim of ‘racial harassment’, upholding 7 of the 43 charges.
The club said on 28 October that no official would face any disciplinary action. Speaker Roger Hutton said there was ‘insufficient evidence’ to justify the claims.
Result
November 4, 2021: The ECB suspends Yorkshire from hosting international games at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.
November 5, 2021: Hutton resigns and apologizes ‘unconditionally’ to Rafiq.
Several other board members also resigned, including Yorkshire chief executive Mark Arthur.
Rafiq appeared in front of MPs
On Tuesday, 16 November, Rafiq appeared before a UK parliamentary committee to face questions from lawmakers.
His claims include that red wine was once poured down his throat after he was forcefully poured. This came to the fore during his early playing days at a local club when he was 15 years old. He said it was done by a former Yorkshire and Hampshire player.
“I was pinned at my local cricket club and had red wine poured down my throat, literally down my throat. Players played for Yorkshire and Hampshire. I [then] Didn’t touch alcohol until about 2012 and around that time I felt I had to do it to get fit. I was not perfect, there are some things that I felt I had to do to achieve my dreams. I deeply regret it but it has nothing to do with racism,” Rafiq said.
Read also: Azeem Rafiq apologizes for anti-Semitic remarks from 2011
In the latest development, Rafiq apologized on Thursday after admitting to sending anti-Semitic messages 10 years ago. British newspaper The Times of London reported that it had seen an exchange of messages between Rafiq and another former cricketer, Atiq Javid, and contained derogatory remarks about an unidentified Jewish man.
Rafiq confirmed in a post on Twitter that he sent the messages and that he had “absolutely no excuse.”
“I am embarrassed by this exchange and have now removed it so that there is no further offense,” Rafiq wrote. “I was 19 at the time and I hope and believe that I am a different person today. I am incredibly angry at myself and I apologize to the Jewish community and to all who have been hurt by this.”
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