Yorkshire County Cricket Club was fined by the Independent Cricket Disciplinary Commission (CDC) on Friday over the Pakistani-origin Azeem Rafiq’s racism scandal.
The club was slapped with a hefty 48-point deduction in the English County Championship and the club was also fined £400,000 ($514,000), with £300,000 suspended for two years.
The penalty points relegate Yorkshire to the bottom of Division Two of the County Championship.
Pakistani-born bowler Rafiq, 32, came to light in September 2020 with allegations of racism and bullying, related to his two spells in the English county.
The Yorkshire Board issued a statement accepting the restrictions.
“The CDC and ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) today acknowledged the extensive work done by the YCCC to tackle cultural issues within the club, challenging racism and discrimination. Didn’t,” he said.
“We are accountable for these issues, and we accepted the four amended charges as part of our ongoing commitment to ensure we are able to move forward.”
But the Yorkshire board added: “We are disappointed to receive points deductions which affect the club’s players and staff, who were not responsible for the situation.”
ECB chief executive Richard Gould, who was not in office during the Rafiq scandal, said: “There can be no place for racism in our game, and the sanctions announced by the Cricket Disciplinary Commission are a full disciplinary process. are signs of the end of
No one should have to experience what Azeem Rafiq went through in cricket, and once again we thank him for his courage.
Six former Yorkshire players were fined by the CDC after they were previously found guilty of using racist language.
In addition, a damning report by the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC) last month revealed “widespread” racism, sexism and classism in English cricket.
ICEC was established in 2021 following the racism scandal surrounding Rafiq’s treatment.
