The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson has spoken on the issue of racism in cricket in the aftermath of former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq’s testimony to the Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) Committee.
He has commended Azeem for taking a tough stance on the issue of racism and ruled “there is no excuse for racism anywhere in society”. He also urged both England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Yorkshire County Cricket Club to take stern action against the perpetrators of the act of racism.
Earlier on November 16, Azeem had described in detail all the acts of racism and what he called “inhuman behaviour” hurled at him by the former and current players of England while he was with the Yorkshire side in the England domestic cricket.
He had also spoken on the issues related to former England captain Michael Vaughan, current players Alex Hales, Gary Ballance and pained a grim picture of the equality in the Yorkshire dressing room. He had also criticised the ECB and players’ association for not taking his complaints seriously and also not taking any action against the players involved.
Azeem first reported the issue of racism to Yorkshire county in the year 2018 but the county tried to brush matters under the carpet and came out with an investigation panel and its report only after media reportage started to ask questions very frequently.