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Azeem Rafiq makes explosive claims of racism against player of colour by Alex Hales, Gary Ballance

Azeem Rafiq has revealed some remarkably harrowing incidents of racism in the Yorkshire dressing room and players while giving his presenting his case to prove “institutional racism” at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee of the United Kingdom government.

He has said that Gary Ballance used to call people of colour by the name “Kevin” and Alex Hales went on to give his dog, who was black in colour, the same name.

"Kevin was something Gary [Ballance] used for people of colour in a derogatory manner. All the time. Gary and Alex Hales got very close to each other playing for England but I understand Alex went on to name his dog Kevin because it was black. It is disgusting how much of a joke it became."

He also reiterated the episode of racism hurled out at India’s batsman Cheteshwar Pujara by calling him by the name “Steve”. He asserted that all players at Yorkshire started calling him by that name although Pujara was not comfortable with it and it ratifies his call of the Yorkshire’s “institutional failings”.

"Everyone called him that, high-profile players around the world, and it shows the institutional failings," says Rafiq.

The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee is hearing Rafiq’s statement which will be followed by former Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton and the ECB CEO Tom Harrison, ECB board member Alan Dickinson, director of communications Kate Miller and director of legal and integrity Meena Botros.

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