Yorkshire have been hit with a £400,000 fine and a 48-point deduction in the County Championship over the club’s racism scandal.
The county pled guilty to four amended charges, including failing to address systemic racism and destroying evidence, earlier this year, in the wake of allegations brought forward by former player Azeem Rafiq.
A sanction hearing was held by the Cricket Discipline Commission last month, with £300,000 of the fine suspended for two years but the County Championship points deduction coming into force with immediate effect, ending Yorkshire’s slim hopes of promotion and sending the county to the foot of Division Two.
Yorkshire have also been hit with a retrospective four-point deduction in this year’s Vitality Blast, though the T20 completion has already concluded. Yorkshire failed to get beyond the initial group stage.
A Yorkshire statement said it accepted the sanctions and that “greater clarity over our situation will allow us all now to look ahead” but expressed disappointment over the points deduction, which “affects players and staff at the club, who were not responsible for the situation”.
Responding to the punishment, ECB chief executive Richard Gould added: “These were serious charges relating to racism over a prolonged period.
"There can be no place for racism in our game, and the penalties announced by the Cricket Discipline Commission mark the end of a thorough disciplinary process. No one should have to experience what Azeem Rafiq went through in cricket, and we once again thank him for his courage in speaking out.”
