Yorkshire admits 4 fees after investigation into racism claims

Yorkshire County Cricket Club has admitted legal responsibility to 4 amended fees together with a failure to handle and take ample motion towards racist and discriminatory language, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) mentioned on Tuesday.

Yorkshire and a lot of people have been charged by the ECB in June after an investigation into racism claims made by former participant Azeem Rafiq, who alleged in 2021 that he had been a sufferer of institutional racism on the membership.

The scandal rocked English cricket and led to quite a few modifications in teaching and administrative personnel at Yorkshire.

“Yorkshire CCC has admitted liability in response to four amended charges, including a failure to address systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language over a prolonged period and a failure to take adequate action in respect of allegations of racist and/or discriminatory behaviour,” the ECB mentioned.

Rafiq’s former group mate Gary Ballance, who performed 23 exams for England earlier than switching allegiance to Zimbabwe, additionally admitted legal responsibility for his use of racially discriminatory language, the ECB added.

Rafiq, a former England Under-19s captain of Pakistani descent, informed a British parliamentary committee in 2021 of “inhuman” remedy at Yorkshire and described the game in England as riddled with racism.

Ballance has beforehand apologised to Rafiq in particular person for utilizing racist language.

Both Yorkshire and Ballance won’t be required to attend a listening to in London following the acceptance of the fees.

An unbiased panel of the Cricket Discipline Commission, the physique that handles disciplinary issues within the English home recreation, will hear the circumstances from March 1 to March 9.

Ex-Yorkshire gamers Tim Bresnan, John Blain, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Gale and Richard Pyrah have all withdrawn from the listening to.

“Today’s announcement is an important step forward for Yorkshire County Cricket Club as part of its journey to learn from the past,” Yorkshire chairman Kamlesh Patel mentioned in an announcement.

“Since becoming chair it has been clear that we needed to accept and take accountability as a Club for the cultural issues which allowed racist and discriminatory behaviour to go unchallenged.”