The head of anti racism group Kick It Out has criticised the cricket establishment’s response to the racism storm over Azeem Rafiq, urging the sport’s authorities to do more to protect whistleblowers who come forward with claims of abuse.
Giving evidence to MPs on the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday, Kick It Out chief executive Tony Burnett said the treament of Rafiq since he went public last year with his claims of racist abuse at Yorkshire had been “horrific”.
Rafiq, whose allegations of racism at Yorkshire sparked a series of reviews into the culture of the sport, says he has faced a “never ending co-ordinated campaign of lies” since he claimed English cricket is “institutionally racist”.
It has been reported that he is now planning to move overseas with his family in the coming weeks.
Burnett told the Committee: “What Azeem Rafiq has gone through is horrific actually over the last 12 months - and continues to go through.
“I think that cricket, I’ll be honest with you, is trying to send a message here which says, If you disagree with the establishment, we’re going to come after you and punish you.
“And that’s common when it comes to change in these kinds of areas. I’ve seen it in other organisations and other environments I’ve been in.
“That’s why it’s so important that we win the battle here because actually, we need whistleblowers to come forward and tell us about their experience in the game.
“And if it means that we disrupt the establishment, that’s what needs to happen. That’s absolutely what needs to happen in cricket and that’s what we’re going to be fighting to achieve.”
Rafiq’s testimony to the DCMS Committee last November led to a major shake up of Yorkshire’s leadership and to Headingley being temporarily banned from hosting international matches, along with reprimands for several current and former players and coaches.
It also led to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) putting together a 12-point plan to tackle racism in the game.
The ECB’s independent disciplinary commission is due to consider allegations of racism and discrimination against Yorkshire and seven individuals later this year while the sport is also awaiting the findings of a report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC).
Since making his claims, Rafiq has faced a series of allegations about his own conduct while a player.
Responding to the latest allegations against him recently, he said: “I knew as a whistleblower I would come under attack.
“What I did not expect was a never-ending, co-ordinated campaign of lies, which has caused serious risk to me and my family’s safety.
“I have been vindicated over and over again, and will not be intimidated by those who seek to silence me.”
DCMS Committee chair, Tory MP Julian Knight, told MPs on Tuesday: “We will be returning to this very soon we will be exposing some of the acute harassment that our whistleblowers received.”
Rafiq and Yorkshire chairman Kamlesh Patel are both expected to give evidence to the MPs again, threatening to plunge cricket back into another racism storm.
