[WakeyTerrier]

It's a right old mess and fair play to the sponsors involves because if they hadn't withdrawn then nothing would have happened. Yorkshire board wouldn't have changed and the ECB would have stood back and done nothing

[theo_luddite]

BBC news reporting that the Board are falling on their swords. Chairman already gone, needs a complete clean sweep and a few others besides.

[Devongone]

I never thought I would feel sorry for Yorkshire, especially over an issue like racial-slurring, but they have managed to let themselves be painted (and to assist in the process themselves) into a corner from which I can see no escape.

Sponsors have every right to do what they want, but some of this is also virtue-signalling. They are getting their two-pennyworth out of withdrawing their support aren't they? Are there no glass ceilings out there for their black employees? Are they sure all their own job-interview processes carry no racial taint? They want to look whiter than white and maybe they are, without realising the irony of that statement. Exactly how many non-white faces have reached the boardrooms of these organisations?

Of course heads have to roll. Of course Yorkshire has to step up change, but anyone who thinks racism and sexism aren't endemic in sport is living exactly where Greta Thunberg tells us doesn't exist - Planet B. Much as I've spent my whole life glorying in Yorkshire failure, we can't beat the cricket club to death and think we've contributed to sport, its image or any kind of harmony.

[Lord Snooty]

I've just been reading on espn about the report from the committee looking into the original complaint from Rafiq.
They said using the P*** word was banter, but the fact that he replied calling this person Zimbo would, if he were still a Yorkshire CCC employee, have led to disciplinary action.
Ignoring the fact that P*** is a well known derogatory racist term is one thing, but comparing it to Zimbo is frankly ridiculous.
There's more in the report as well. But I can't post the link atm.

---

This is probably the only reason why Ballance spoke up as well. Him being the only Zimbo (oops sorry for any offence) in the team.

[Devongone]

Yes it sounds as though Yorkshire got just about everything wrong at every turn, probably out of plain stupidity, or unconscious racism. Unfortunately we have turned the origin of people who are not what we identify as "us" into derogatory terms we then use as slurs, when having a heritage which traces family members back to Pakistan should be something of which those people can always feel really proud, even when they've got a broad Yorkshire accent. We should be celebrating our different identities, cultural backgrounds, artistic achievements, ways of being on this strange little choking planet, but instead we spend our time casting barbs at one another, skimming casual insults at our friends often without even noticing the hurt we cause.

Have you heard the one about the Englishman, The Scotsman, The Irishman and The Indian who went to the pub, well they would have done if they hadn't started fighting on the way.

Yorkshire Tea chose Sean Bean waving a sword to advertise itself, a black man did make the silent front row of the surprised faces. He wasn't wearing a badge saying TOKENISM, but he might as well have been.

[Lord Snooty]

This is completely and utterly, bat shit crazy! I know things have gone further since this was published on Monday, but...... for goodness sake!             

Here's that link.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/yorks...er-1286449

Yorkshire racism report ruled Azeem Rafiq being called 'P**i' was 'banter'
The panel said it "was not reasonable for Azeem to have been offended"

At least one Yorkshire player admitted to regularly using the term 'P**i' when talking to Azeem Rafiq, according to the report into racism at the club. But he was cleared of wrongdoing on the basis that it was perceived as, what the report says was, friendly, good-natured "banter" between the two players.

The player 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.

Despite admitting recalling that Rafiq broke down in tears at one point, the player insisted he had no idea he was causing offence and would have stopped if Rafiq had asked.

The individual concerned, who ESPNcricinfo have chosen not to name, is a current senior player at the club.

While the investigating team (the lawyers who were charged with gathering evidence for the report) found such comments to be "capable of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment…" and accepted Rafiq's "evidence that he was offended, degraded or humiliated and that this amounted to harassment under the Equality Act and the Club's Equal Opportunities policy", the panel (who were charged with making conclusions and recommendations and which included a non-executive member of the Yorkshire board) disagreed.

Their conclusions state "The Panel does not accept that Azeem was offended by [the other player's] comments, either at the time they were made or subsequently."

They go on to say that, in the context of "banter between friends" Rafiq might be "expected to take such comments in the spirit in which they were intended (i.e. good natured banter between friends)… [so] it was not reasonable for Azeem to have been offended by [the other player] directing equally offensive or derogatory comments back at him in the same spirit of friendly banter."

Indeed, the panel accuses Rafiq of using "offensive, racially derogatory comments" when referring to a player of Zimbabwean heritage as "Zimbo from Zimbabwe". The panel viewed this as "a racist, derogatory term" and recommends that, were Rafiq still a Yorkshire player, he should face disciplinary action for using it.

The revelation, which comes days after Yorkshire announced that none of their players, coaches or executives would face disciplinary action as a result of the investigation, may increase doubts over the process and the report that has produced. In particular, equating the terms 'P**i', which is a long-established derogatory term with a history of racist usage, and 'Zimbo', which is generally held to be an abbreviation akin to Aussie or Kiwi without pejorative association, is likely to raise eyebrows.

The ECB, who have been sent Yorkshire's report in recent days after several month's delay, are currently reviewing the information.

George Dobell
01-Nov-2021

[themaclad]

Always thought Rafiq was a decent player and couldn't quite understand when he disappeared for a couple of seasons and then reappeared as for Michael Vaughan oh dear oh dear

[ritchiebaby]

Oh for the days before "racism" reared it's ugly head. Back in the 60s and 70s, my village had a little shop which stocked all sorts of small everyday items, which the other shops didn't stock. Not only that it was reasonably priced and opened all hours and the gentleman who owned it came from Pakistan. It was known by all and sundry as The P..i Shop - the owner himself referred to it as The P..i Shop. No offence given and none taken. The term might even be described as a term of endearment as it inferred the owner was hard-working and brought his family up to be good citizens.

Now this is in no way a defence of the term being used as "banter" or a deliberate insult. It is merely a background as to where a lot of attitudes come from. Nobody in their right mind would consider the term as acceptable in the last decade or two.

As far as Yorkshire is concerned, the ex-chairman has been on TV stating that the Yorkshire board was "locked in the past" and hopes that the club "changes immeasurably". If he really thinks that, why has he not already done something about it as chairman and, if he couldn't, resign as chairman?

It's now all about everyone involved trying to salvage their reputations. "It wasn't me - a big boy done it and ran away".

[Lord Snooty]

Yes, ritchie. All well and good, but at the same time, here in Yorkshire every Friday after school was "p*** bashing day", which the kids at our local high school were really enthusiastic about. Didn't bother me that much cos it took them away from bashing us from the grammar school for one day at least.

Anyway, I remember laughing my head off when a mate of mine, who'd been bragging about the fighting, showed up with his eye all swollen after some of the asian lads got a bit of their own back.

Anyway, that's the kind of thing where those kids have now bred another couple of generations of kids and made sure they all know who and what kind of people used this P word against them.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Secret footage has now emerged, filmed within the Yorkshire boardroom. Some pretty shocking stuff.