"Never experienced racism in English cricket" - Jofra Archer reacts to the Yorkshire racism scandal
England right-arm speedster Jofra Archer has responded to the Yorkshire racism row involving Azeem Rafiq, which has sparked a huge controversy. Although Archer empathized with Rafiq, he revealed that he has never faced racial discrimination within English cricket circles.
In 2020, Azeem Rafiq accused the Yorkshire County Cricket Club of being involved in instances of racial discrimination against him. The 30-year-old said the experiences left him suicidal as his complaints went ignored by coaches and officials.
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This makes me angry & sick!!!!
To treat our prayer mat with such actions makes me seriously angry!!!!!
Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Jofra Archer said he wasn't racially insulted after an instance in New Zealand. By calling Rafiq brave and deeming the treatment dished out on him unacceptable, Archer wrote:
"I've never experienced racism in English cricket. Yes, I suffered racial abuse on a tour of New Zealand but I had not suffered anything before or indeed since. I don't know what Azeem Rafiq has gone through but having processed the feelings and considered what he wanted to say, how he was going to say it and then being brave enough to speak out, it felt unacceptable he had to go through it all over again. He shouldn't have been put through that."
Archer, who played his first overseas Test in New Zealand in November 2019, faced racial abuse from a spectator at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. During the investigation, the 26-year-old also received a direct message via social media, from the individual who was the culprit.
Azeem Rafiq's allegations have resulted in massive ramifications
Azeem Rafiq's accusations, which have proven true, have tarnished the image of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The Karachi-born cricketer has named the likes of Gary Ballance and Michael Vaughan in an investigation report, accusing them of racially abusing him.
However, Vaughan has strongly denied those claims. The fallout from the racism row prompted the ECB to ban Yorkshire from hosting any international games for an indefinite period.
Michael Vaughan: I am named in the Azeem Rafiq report - but I totally deny any accusation of racism
(Free to read in the UK for the next two hours)
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Additionally, chairman Roger Hutton resigned while coach Andrew Gale also faced suspension due to a tweet from the past. New chairman Lord Kamlesh Patel has issued an apology and promised sweeping changes.