Yorkshire suspended from hosting England matches over race fallout
Yorkshire County Cricket club (YCCC) have been suspended from being able to host international matches, the England and Wales Cricket board (ECB) announced yesterday.
In response to Yorkshire’s handling of the Azeem Rafiq race report, the ECB have said financial sanctions may be considered as well as any future consideration for the Headingley Stadium to host major matches.
In a statement the ECB said: “It is clear to the board that YCCC’s handling of thew issues raised by Azeem Rafiq is wholly unacceptable and is causing serious damage to the reputation of the game.
“The ECB fins this matter abhorrent and against the spirit of cricket and its values.
“There is no place for racism or any form of discrimination in cricket and where it is found, swift action must be taken.
“This matter must be dealt with robustly if the sport is to demonstrate its commitment to truly being a game for everyone.”
Rafiq, a former bowler at the club, alleged 43 counts of discrimination and racism against employees of the County Championship club.
On Wednesday, former teammate and England international Gary Ballance admitted to using racial slurs towards the bowler.
The chairman of Yorkshire, Roger Hutton, has been summoned by Parliament’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee. Rafiq has also been invited to give evidence to the committee chaired by Julian Knight MP, who himself called the saga was “one of the most repellent and disturbing episodes in modern cricket history”.
Those who give evidence at select committees do so under parliamentary privilege, which grants certain legal immunities.
Headingley stadium is best known, recently, as the location where Ben Stokes and Jack Leech kept the 2019 Ashes alive with their famous partnership.
The stadium was due to host a Test match against New Zealand and a one-day match against South Africa in the summer of 2022.