Cricketer Azeem Rafiq to leave UK to ‘protect family’ amid continuous racist abuse
- The Pakistan-born former Yorkshire spinner is due to move overseas in the near future with his wife, children and parents
- He raised allegations of racism and bullying, which eventually led to a mass clear-out of senior boardroom figures and coaching staff
Azeem Rafiq, whose allegations of racism last year plunged English cricket into crisis, is leaving Britain to protect his family from further abuse and intimidation, a report said on Friday.
The ex-Yorkshire spinner is due to move overseas in the near future with his wife, children and parents, The Cricketer magazine reported.
The Pakistan-born former player first raised allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020, related to his two spells at Yorkshire, which eventually led to a mass clear-out of senior boardroom figures and coaching staff.
Rafiq, 31, gave harrowing testimony to a committee of lawmakers about his treatment in November last year.
An independent report found the Pakistan-born player was a victim of “racial harassment and bullying” while playing for the county club, with Rafiq himself revealing he had been driven to thoughts of suicide.
“I felt isolated, humiliated at times,” Rafiq told the hearing in London. “Pretty early on, me and other people from an Asian background … there were comments such as ‘you’ll sit over there near the toilets’, ‘elephant-washers’.