[Cricket] Yorkshire cricket.end off

[South west gull]

Thoughts on Yorkshire cricket

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[Raleigh Chopper]

It did not surprise me, unfortunately.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

Well, they do believe in calling a spade a spade in Yorkshire - or something like that!

 

[Eeyore]

First point. No place for racism in sport. Or anywhere.

But beyond that I think there is more to this than is being reported.

Ballance's statement raised a lot of questions (when you read the full statement).

I'm always vocal in here about stamping out racism and prejudice but something here is making me uncomfortable (in relation to Gary Ballance being singled out) and I'm not joining the pitchfork brigade this time.

 

[Easy 10]

A complete and blatant whitewash by YCCC in a vapid attempt to sweep all this under the carpet and hope it all goes away. And its rightly being called out.

Now the sponsors are ditching them, its going to start costing them serious £££. Not only are they being publically shredded, they're now getting a severe kicking in the coffers. I'm guessing THAT'LL train a few minds with the white-haired old duffers in their blazers, in their airtight tone-deaf oak-panelled boardrooms.

Shit just got real.

 

[DJ NOBO]

There’s more to the statement than the headlines.
It’s worth reading in full.

 

[Hampster Gull]

Ongoing use of P***, also admitted to telling other people "don't talk to him [Rafiq], he's a P**i", asking "is that your uncle?" when they saw bearded Asian men and saying "does your dad own those?" in reference to corner shops. Didn't realise it was the 1980’s up there

 

[Mayonaise]

Unacceptable behaviour not dealt with

A serious error of judgement in how they handled this out of the gate....

Paying a heavy price now

 

[knocky1]

They gave Ollie Robinson an early education.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

They gave Ollie Robinson an early education.

Probably trained by Geoff Boycott - nasty racist sexist scum. And they gave him a knighthood

 

[Hugo Rune]

Unacceptable behaviour not dealt with

A serious error of judgement in how they handled this out of the gate....

Paying a heavy price now

This is the bit that got me:

“28 October 2021: Yorkshire says it carried out its own internal investigation after the findings in the report and concluded that "there is no conduct or action taken by any of its employees, players or executives that warrants disciplinary action".

Yet, Rafiq was clearly being called a p*** on a regular basis using the number one racist excuse - “It’s just banter”.

It’s also odd that Rafiq made 43 allegations but only 7 were upheld in the external investigation. The hiring of a law firm to investigate this suggests that they used a court’s measure of ‘truth’ (beyond a reasonable doubt) instead of the benchmark needed in an internal workplace investigation/report (in all probability).

By rejecting Rafiq’s 36 other claims, they are effectively calling him a liar 36 times.

 

[Lenny Rider]

Edited just seen it on the news ��

 

[DJ NOBO]

Unacceptable behaviour not dealt with

A serious error of judgement in how they handled this out of the gate....

Paying a heavy price now

Are they ? The club seems to be doing a fine job of escaping reprimand.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

There is only one f in of

 

[schmunk]

Ongoing use of P***, also admitted to telling other people "don't talk to him [Rafiq], he's a P**i", asking "is that your uncle?" when they saw bearded Asian men and saying "does your dad own those?" in reference to corner shops. Didn't realise it was the 1980’s up there

As a child, in Leeds, in the 1980s, we called them P**i Shops - it was just the normal thing without (for me, at least) any intentional prejudice. I've since moved away, grown up and learned. Others haven't.

That said, Gary Ballance was born and raised in Zimbabwe...

 

[Stat Brother]

Ongoing use of P***, also admitted to telling other people "don't talk to him [Rafiq], he's a P**i", asking "is that your uncle?" when they saw bearded Asian men and saying "does your dad own those?" in reference to corner shops. Didn't realise it was the 1980’s up there

They (categorically do NOT) wish they were that modern.

 

[Dave the OAP]

At what point does banter between friends become a national issue?

Email sharethis sharing button
— 3 November 2021
My family and I are deeply saddened and upset by the allegations recently levelled at me in the press and by the misleading and selective nature of the reporting in the last few days. Azeem was not just a teammate of mine but he was my closest friend and supporter in cricket.

Throughout this process I have cooperated with the independent investigation and I have been completely honest and transparent with the club and the investigators at all times. Information and allegations have been leaked and reported in the press which in my view give a misleading impression of the evidence which was heard in the investigation. I had not intended to make any public statement but, given the reports which have been published, and with journalists arriving at my house, I feel I have no choice but to provide a public response.

To be clear – I deeply regret some of the language I used in my younger years. The independent enquiry, having heard all of the evidence, accepted that the context of some of the language used was in a “friendly verbal attack” between friends which was not intended to offend or hurt and that no malice was intended.

Given my incredibly close relationship with Rafa over the years I am saddened that it has come to this. Rafa and I started playing for Yorkshire at a similar time and we quickly developed a very close bond. He encouraged me to play club cricket for his club Barnsley CC, which I did, we went on many tours together, with both Yorkshire and the England Performance Programme, and we always supported each other on and off the pitch. We socialised a lot together away from the game and would also drink and enjoy ourselves together.

On the pitch we supported each other greatly. We both captained Yorkshire at various times and we backed each other when we filled these roles. Rafa has always been a huge supporter of mine and was always there for me in the highs and lows of my career with Yorkshire and England. When he was first released by Yorkshire I was there for him during that tough time and I was delighted when he earned a new contract and a second spell with the club. He was very pleased for me when I was selected for England and I was delighted to receive his supportive messages during my time with England. He was also always a big support to me at some difficult times in my career, and I have always been very grateful to him for that.

Because we were such good friends and spent a lot of time together drinking and on nights out we both said things privately to each other which were not acceptable. It has been reported that I used a racial slur and, as I told the independent enquiry, I accept that I did so and I regret doing so. I do not wish to discredit Rafa by repeating the words and statements that he made about me and others but I have to be clear that this was a situation where best friends said offensive things to each other which, outside of that context, would be considered wholly inappropriate.

I regret that these exchanges took place but at no time did I believe or understand that it had caused Rafa distress. If I had believed that then I would have stopped immediately. He was my best mate in cricket and I cared deeply for him. To my knowledge, it has never been alleged that I reduced Rafa to tears.

That does not mean that what passed between us was right or appropriate. It was not. Rafa said things to me that were not acceptable and I did the same with Rafa. I never said anything with any intended malice or to upset Rafa.

Rafa and I remained closest friends throughout the time we exchanged these inappropriate comments. One winter, I suggested that Rafa and his bowling coach travel to Zimbabwe to stay with my family, which they did. He lived in my family’s house in Zimbabwe and spent time with my parents and my brothers while he trained in Zimbabwe. He would later become very good friends with my brother and the two of them stayed together regularly when my brother was in the UK. Rafa was always very grateful for the support and love which my family gave him and he regularly expressed this to me. I was honoured to be invited to his wedding in Pakistan which I sadly could not attend.

I am aware of how hurtful the racial slur is and I regret that I used this word in immature exchanges in my younger years and I am sure Rafa feels the same about some of the things he said to me as well.

My intention, during this whole process, has been to be honest and cooperate with the independent investigation. In light of recent media reports it is only right, on behalf of me and my family, that I put my position in the public domain.

I will not be making any further statement on this matter

 

[studio150]

Are they ? The club seems to be doing a fine job of escaping reprimand.

Will be interesting to see what the ECB decide now that they can fully investigate.
A suitable punishment would be to be taken off the Test Match rotation for a few seasons, which will hit their profits

 

[vegster]

A complete and blatant whitewash by YCCC in a vapid attempt to sweep all this under the carpet and hope it all goes away. And its rightly being called out.

Now the sponsors are ditching them, its going to start costing them serious £££. Not only are they being publically shredded, they're now getting a severe kicking in the coffers. I'm guessing THAT'LL train a few minds with the white-haired old duffers in their blazers, in their airtight tone-deaf oak-panelled boardrooms.

Shit just got real.

Indeed, its not a surprise that it's Yorkshire ccc, but the cover up has made it far far worse.

 

[Eeyore]

At what point does banter between friends become a national issue?

Email sharethis sharing button
— 3 November 2021
My family and I are deeply saddened and upset by the allegations recently levelled at me in the press and by the misleading and selective nature of the reporting in the last few days. Azeem was not just a teammate of mine but he was my closest friend and supporter in cricket.

Throughout this process I have cooperated with the independent investigation and I have been completely honest and transparent with the club and the investigators at all times. Information and allegations have been leaked and reported in the press which in my view give a misleading impression of the evidence which was heard in the investigation. I had not intended to make any public statement but, given the reports which have been published, and with journalists arriving at my house, I feel I have no choice but to provide a public response.

To be clear – I deeply regret some of the language I used in my younger years. The independent enquiry, having heard all of the evidence, accepted that the context of some of the language used was in a “friendly verbal attack” between friends which was not intended to offend or hurt and that no malice was intended.

Given my incredibly close relationship with Rafa over the years I am saddened that it has come to this. Rafa and I started playing for Yorkshire at a similar time and we quickly developed a very close bond. He encouraged me to play club cricket for his club Barnsley CC, which I did, we went on many tours together, with both Yorkshire and the England Performance Programme, and we always supported each other on and off the pitch. We socialised a lot together away from the game and would also drink and enjoy ourselves together.

On the pitch we supported each other greatly. We both captained Yorkshire at various times and we backed each other when we filled these roles. Rafa has always been a huge supporter of mine and was always there for me in the highs and lows of my career with Yorkshire and England. When he was first released by Yorkshire I was there for him during that tough time and I was delighted when he earned a new contract and a second spell with the club. He was very pleased for me when I was selected for England and I was delighted to receive his supportive messages during my time with England. He was also always a big support to me at some difficult times in my career, and I have always been very grateful to him for that.

Because we were such good friends and spent a lot of time together drinking and on nights out we both said things privately to each other which were not acceptable. It has been reported that I used a racial slur and, as I told the independent enquiry, I accept that I did so and I regret doing so. I do not wish to discredit Rafa by repeating the words and statements that he made about me and others but I have to be clear that this was a situation where best friends said offensive things to each other which, outside of that context, would be considered wholly inappropriate.

I regret that these exchanges took place but at no time did I believe or understand that it had caused Rafa distress. If I had believed that then I would have stopped immediately. He was my best mate in cricket and I cared deeply for him. To my knowledge, it has never been alleged that I reduced Rafa to tears.

That does not mean that what passed between us was right or appropriate. It was not. Rafa said things to me that were not acceptable and I did the same with Rafa. I never said anything with any intended malice or to upset Rafa.

Rafa and I remained closest friends throughout the time we exchanged these inappropriate comments. One winter, I suggested that Rafa and his bowling coach travel to Zimbabwe to stay with my family, which they did. He lived in my family’s house in Zimbabwe and spent time with my parents and my brothers while he trained in Zimbabwe. He would later become very good friends with my brother and the two of them stayed together regularly when my brother was in the UK. Rafa was always very grateful for the support and love which my family gave him and he regularly expressed this to me. I was honoured to be invited to his wedding in Pakistan which I sadly could not attend.

I am aware of how hurtful the racial slur is and I regret that I used this word in immature exchanges in my younger years and I am sure Rafa feels the same about some of the things he said to me as well.

My intention, during this whole process, has been to be honest and cooperate with the independent investigation. In light of recent media reports it is only right, on behalf of me and my family, that I put my position in the public domain.

I will not be making any further statement on this matter

Given that I am not one of the gammon crew on here, and folk know it, I feel qualified to make my point here.

There was clearly a strong relationship between the two. I wouldn't use racial slurs as banter, but some younger folk may well between them. That is not for the law to arbitrate.

When I was younger myself and a close friend from Ghana did say stuff to each other that would not be acceptable outwith our relationship. That is no-one else's business.

Unless a child or a person of limited capacity in mental capability, for a person to be a victim they need to consider themselves as such first. Gary seems to suggest that Azeem never saw himself as such at the time and this was consenting dialogue between friends.

If that was the case, then what happened between them is no-one's business.

As for the other claims, can't comment. I know nothing of them.