ECB charges seven people over allegations of racism at Yorkshire – report
The individuals have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute, according to the Cricketer.
Seven people have been charged by the England and Wales Cricket Board following its investigation into allegations of racism at Yorkshire, it was reported on Wednesday.
The Cricketer said the ECB had elected not to name the seven individuals, while it also reported that Yorkshire have also been charged.
The individuals have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute according to the Cricketer report, with each said to relate to the use of racist and discriminatory language.
It is reported that the Cricket Disciplinary Committee (CDC) will now hear each of the cases, starting in September.
Yorkshire have been charged with allowing a culture to develop which fostered discriminatory behaviour, according to the report.
The ECB investigation followed allegations of racism made by former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq.
The 31-year-old gave harrowing testimony to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee about his experience at the club across two spells between 2008 and 2014 and 2016 to 2018.
In his testimony, former England internationals Matthew Hoggard, Tim Bresnan, Alex Hales and Gary Ballance had all been subject to fresh claims of racial discrimination.
Ballance, who is still with Yorkshire but has not played yet this season, has apologised for using a racial slur towards Rafiq but Rafiq said in March that he had not received an apology directly from Ballance.
Hoggard has apologised to Rafiq, while Tim Bresnan has apologised for bullying Rafiq but has categorically denied making racist comments.
Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales categorically denied after the DCMS hearing last November that there was any racial connotation to him naming his dog Kevin.
Rafiq alleged that Ballance used the word ‘Kevin’ as a derogatory term towards people from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Rafiq has also alleged that former England captain and ex-Yorkshire team-mate Michael Vaughan had said to him and a group of players of Asian origin in 2009 that there were “too many of your lot” at Yorkshire and that “we need to do something about it”.
Vaughan has categorically denied making that comment. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan corroborated Rafiq’s claim however, as did current England player Adil Rashid.
A fourth player, Ajmal Shahzad, said he had no recollection of the comment Vaughan is alleged to have made.
