Ex-Cricket player Azeem Rafiq was a victim of racial abuse
Yorkshire County Cricket Club has apologised to Rafiq after experiencing bullying and harassment.
The Yorkshire County Cricket club started an examination which was conducted by international law firm Squire Patton Boggs and an independent panel chaired by Dr Samir Pathak to look into these claims.
In a statement from Roger Hutton, the chair of the YCCC, he said: "There is no question that Azeem Rafiq, during his first spell as a player at YCCC, was the victim of racial harassment".
"On behalf of all at YCCC, I wish to extend my sincere, profound and unreserved apologies to Azeem and to his family".
In the panel's report it identified that there were 40 allegations made against the Club by Azeem Rafiq, but only 7 were confirmed.
Despite the report highlighting that the cricket player was a victim of racial abuse, Rafiq was not happy about the way it was handled. Rafiq's spokesperson said:
"However, we must highlight the atrocious way this process continues to be handled. Azeem was not given any notice of this morning's statement - he received a copy only a couple of minutes before the media" - Azeem Rafiq's spokesperson.
In the report, it addressed that when investigating these allegations, the panel concluded the club was not institutionally racist. It said: "It determined that there was insufficient evidence to conclude that Yorkshire County Cricket Club is institutionally racist".
"It did not find that any decisions by the coaching staff or the Club, relating either to Azeem’s inclusion within a team or his ultimate release from the Club was for anything other than cricketing reasons".
Despite the panel stating the club is not institutionally racist, Rafiq does not agree with this decision, his spokesperson said: "What is clear is that Yorkshire CCC admits racism and bullying has taken place on many occasions, yet won't accept the obvious -- that this is an institutional problem".