In handling the Azeem Rafiq affair, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has been charged with “dereliction of duty,” according to former Yorkshire chairman Robin Smith. In October 2019, Rafiq, a former Yorkshire player, set the county with systematic racism.
The public portion of a Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) hearing, which the ECB set seven people and Yorkshire with in June, ended on Tuesday. A former England captain, Michael Vaughan, was the only accused party present at the hearing. In his closing argument, his attorney Christopher Stoner KC referred to the ECB’s probe as “woefully insufficient”.
Smith expressed displeasure with the ECB’s handling of the matter and attended the hearing last Friday to assist one of the witnesses, Liz Neto, the former head of human resources for Yorkshire. In Smith’s opinion, Richard Thompson, chairman of the ECB, should have taken action to suspend the disciplinary procedures and instead convened an impartial investigation to look into Rafiq’s claims of racism.
Tim O’Gorman, the panel’s head, promised to issue rulings in the case by the end of the month, if feasible before the public hearing ended on Tuesday. Before that, Colin Graves may take over as chairman of Yorkshire immediately after the club’s annual general meeting on March 24.
Smith believes the ECB should support Colin’s appointment, as he is the “solution” to ensuring Yorkshire does not fail. Rafiq’s case has shone a light on the broader issue of racism in cricket and has brought attention to the sport’s lack of diversity. Former England cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent has called for the ECB to take more action to ensure that cricket is an inclusive environment for all.
Rainford-Brent, who is of Jamaican descent, says that the ECB’s “failure” to tackle the issue of racism within the game properly has been highlighted by the Rafiq case. She believes the ECB must “look at themselves and be honest about what they can do to ensure that cricket is an inclusive environment”.
Rainford-Brent and Smith’s comments highlight the need for the ECB to look at ways to improve its approach to tackling racism in cricket.
The ECB must ensure that it takes appropriate action to address the issue. It should consider implementing measures such as an independent inquiry or an education program to ensure that cricket is an inclusive environment.
The Rafiq case has highlighted the need for cricket to take more action in tackling racism and ensuring an inclusive environment for all. The ECB must take steps to ensure that it takes appropriate action to address this issue and that cricket is an inclusive environment for everyone.