London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 17, 2025

ECB brings charges over Yorkshire racism case

ECB brings charges over Yorkshire racism case

Charges have been brought against "a number of individuals" by English cricket's governing body in relation to allegations of racism at Yorkshire.

The accused, who have not been named, could be banned or fined by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Yorkshire itself has also been charged with breaching the anti-racism rules.

Details of abuse first surfaced in September 2020 when former player Azeem Rafiq said discrimination left him feeling suicidal.

"In matters of this nature, our normal practice is not to identify individuals charged at this stage," said the ECB.

Yorkshire said the "allegations relate to charges as far back as 2004 up until 2021".

In a statement, the County added: "The club will need the cooperation of those in position during this time in order to fully consider and respond to the matters raised."

Since Rafiq's accusations became public, 16 members of staff have left Yorkshire in a widespread overhaul of its senior leadership.

The ECB said it had carried out a "thorough and complex" investigation to establish the grounds for the charges against both the county and the individuals involved.

It said the charges arose from alleged breaches of a directive regarding "conduct which 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" and its anti-discrimination code.

The governing body expects hearings to take place in September or October and for the outcome of each case to be published after decisions are reached.

"It is standard practice for the cricket discipline commission disciplinary panel to publish its decisions and written reasons in full following the hearing," the ECB added.

Rafiq played for Yorkshire across two spells totalling eight years


"I welcome today's announcement by the ECB and hope we can move to the hearing quickly," said Rafiq.

"This has been another gruelling but unfortunately necessary process. It has been a long two years since I went public about my experiences, but I hope this all means that no young player ever goes through such pain and alienation again.

"My preference would be for this hearing to take place publicly, but I am hopeful that we are at least nearing a point where there will be some sense of closure for my family and me."

BBC Sport understands Rafiq is himself likely to be charged at a later date over historical anti-Semitic posts on social media.

Rafiq apologised and said he was "deeply ashamed" for using the language in Facebook messages in 2011, which emerged after his appearance in front of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee.


How did we get here?


Rafiq gave an interview to ESPN Cricinfo in September 2020 alleging "institutional racism" at Yorkshire had left him close to taking his own life.

Yorkshire launched "a formal investigation" in response and, a year later, an independent panel upheld seven of the 43 allegations made by Rafiq.

However the panel's report was not published and no player, employee or executive faced disciplinary action as a result of its findings.

The outcome sparked widespread criticism and in November 2021 the ECB suspended Yorkshire from hosting international matches at Headingley "until it has clearly demonstrated that it can meet the standards expected".

Club chairman Roger Hutton stepped down, as did chief executive Mark Arthur.

When approached by BBC Sport, the ECB declined to name any individuals charged.

Former Yorkshire and England captain Michael Vaughan, who works as a pundit for BBC Sport and others, revealed he had been accused of making racist comments to Rafiq and others players, but has repeatedly denied the claims.

Vaughan told the BBC he never made racist comments while at the county. He admitted regret at some tweets he had sent in the past.

Later in November, Rafiq gave details of the racist abuse he suffered to a committee of MPs, claiming captain Gary Ballance and bowler Jack Brooks had used racist nicknames for team-mates.

Ballance admitted using racist language, adding that he "deeply regretted" doing so.

Rafiq also mentioned the attitudes of Tim Bresnan, Andrew Gale and Matthew Hoggard towards him at the club.

Bresnan has denied "frequently making racist comments", saying it is "absolutely not true."

The ECB has not named those charged.

Rafiq's testimony has been backed by others.

Ex-Pakistan seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan said he had encountered the same prejudice during his two stints with the county while former Yorkshire academy players Irfan Amjad and Tabassum Bhatti have also shared their experiences of racism.

England bowler Adil Rashid said he, like Rana Naved and Rafiq, had heard Vaughan make a racist comment.

In December, head coach Gale and director of cricket Martyn Moxon were among 16 people to leave the club.

Gale won a claim for unfair dismissal - alongside second-team coach Ian Dews, bowling coach Rich Pyrah, academy lead Richard Damms and strength and conditioning coaches Ian Fisher and Peter Sim.

The ECB announced a wide-ranging review into racism in the sport and appointed a Muslim inclusion advisory body to help their reforms on Tuesday.

Headingley returned to the international fixture list in March after members voted through reforms to the county's leadership structure. It will host the third and final Test against New Zealand next week.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Hong Kong Industry Group Calls for HK$20 Billion Support Fund to Ease Property Market Stress
Joe Biden’s Post-Presidency Speaking Fees Face Weak Demand amid Corporate Reluctance
Charlie Kirk's murder will break the left's hateful cancel tactics
Kash Patel erupts at ‘buffoon’ Sen. Adam Schiff over Russiagate: ‘You are the biggest fraud’
Homeland Security says Emmy speech ‘fanning the flames of hatred’ after Einbinder’s ‘F— ICE’ remark
Charlie Kirk’s Alleged Assassin Tyler Robinson Faces Death Penalty as Charges Formally Announced
Actor, director, environmentalist Robert Redford dies at 89
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
JD Vance Says There Is “No Unity” with Those Who Celebrate Charlie Kirk’s Killing, and he is right!
Trump sues the 'New York Times' for an astronomical sum of 15 billion dollars
Florida Hospital Welcomes Its Largest-Ever Baby: Annan, Nearly Fourteen Pounds at Birth
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
×