Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton summoned by DCMS select committee to respond on Azeem Rafiq racism report

The investigation against institutional racism faced by Azeem Rafiq will be now scrutinized by the Parliament as Roger Hutton, Yorkshire County Cricket Club chairman, has been summoned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee.

Yorkshire Club, in an announcement made last week, stated that no further action against any of their employees, players or executives will be taken, relying on an independent panel’s findings.

“The club has also carried out their own internal investigation following the findings in the report, after which they are able to report that they have come to the conclusion that there is no conduct or action taken by any of its employees, players or executives that warrants disciplinary action,” the statement read.

The England Cricket Boar (ECB), although said that it will look into the various allegations the report contained. Shockingly, despite a Yorkshire player admitting to call Rafiq as “P*ki”, the panel excused it as “banter”. Taking cognizance of the same, Sajid Javid, the health secretary tweeted that “P*ki” is not banter”.

“This is extremely concerning and it’s clear that Yorkshire County Cricket Club has questions to answer,” Julian Knight, the DCMS select committee chair, said in response to the latest allegations. “We have monitored developments around the club’s handling of the serious allegations made by Azeem Rafiq.

“We want to see much greater transparency from YCCC – it is time for them to answer their critics. We intend to call the chair of the club before the DCMS Committee to give a much fuller explanation than we have had so far.”

Earlier, YCCC had admitted that Rafiq was a victim of racial harassment during his time at the club. However, relying on their independent panel’s findings, the club concluded that conclusion that no disciplinary action was warranted. Meanwhile, the ground sponsor at Headingley, Emerald Publishing, has added to the pressure on Yorkshire by saying “there is clearly still a great deal more to do” and that it would be seeking a response from the club, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.

“We take all matters related to any form of racism or discriminatory behaviour seriously and expect all our partners to uphold our values,” Emerald said in a statement to PA. “As sponsors of the Headingley stadium, we are dismayed by the conclusion of an independent panel that the former player, Azeem Rafiq, suffered racial harassment and bullying during his time at the club.

“Whilst the club has offered its unreserved apology for this, and has made a number of positive changes in the intervening years, there is clearly still a great deal more to do. We are pursuing the actions from the YCCC in response to their latest statement and will continue to review the findings from the tribunal and ECB investigation in due course.”