England cricketer Adil Rashid has backed up allegations that former national captain Michael Vaughan used racially insensitive comments toward a group of players of Asian ethnicity at county club Yorkshire. (More Cricket News)
Michael Vaughan has denied the allegation 바카라 made by former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq in a report into what he described as a culture of racism at the club 바카라 that he once said about the inclusion of four players of Asian heritage in the lineup in 2009: 바카라There are too many of you lot; we need to do something about it.바카라
The four players in question were Adil Rashid, Azeem Rafiq, Ajmal Shahzad and Pakistan international Rana Naved-ul-Hasan. Naved has confirmed to ESPN Cricinfo that he overheard Michael Vaughan바카라s remarks.
Now Adil Rashid, who played in England바카라s 50-over World Cup-winning team in 2019 and was at the just-finished T20 World Cup, has said he supported Azeem Rafiq바카라s allegation about Michael Vaughan.
In a statement issued via The Cricketer on Monday, Adil Rashid wrote: 바카라I wanted to concentrate as much as possible on my cricket and to avoid distractions to the detriment of the team but I can confirm Azeem Rafiq바카라s recollection of Michael Vaughan바카라s comments to a group of us Asian players.바카라
Vaughan responded by releasing a statement through Britain바카라s Press Association, repeating his denial and outlining his desire not to let his reputation 바카라be trashed unfairly.바카라
바카라I categorically deny saying the words attributed to me by Azeem Rafiq and want to re-state this publicly because the 바카라you lot바카라 comment simply never happened,바카라 Vaughan said.
바카라It is extremely upsetting that this completely false accusation has been made against me by a former teammate, apparently supported by two other players.바카라
Michael Vaughan said he remembered the match clearly because it was the first time in Yorkshire바카라s history that four players of Asian heritage were selected in the same team.
바카라It was an important milestone for the county and it was also a moment of pride for me personally,바카라 he said. 바카라I made a point of shaking all four players바카라 hands that day because I recognized it was a significant moment.
바카라Given my view that the inclusion of Asian players in the Yorkshire team was a very positive and welcome development, it is inconceivable I would have made the derogatory comment attributed to me. To be confronted with this allegation 11 years after it has supposed to have happened is the worst thing I have ever experienced.바카라
Michael Vaughan pointed to a passage in his contemporaneous autobiography, during which he wrote that increased representation from the Asian community 바카라ought to be a good thing for our cricket,바카라 as well as television footage from the game that he said showed him 바카라specifically congratulating each of the players concerned.바카라
Ajmal Shahzad, who in 2004 became Yorkshire바카라s first British Asian cricketer, said during an interview last year he had not heard the comment in question.
바카라For some time, Ajmal Shahzad has been on record as saying that he never heard me say what has been suggested,바카라 Vaughan said. 바카라I have been in contact with the six other players from that team and not one of them has any recollection of the remark being made.
바카라I fully accept that perspectives differ, and I have great sympathy for what Azeem Rafiq has gone through, but I hope everyone understands why I cannot allow this to go unchallenged or my reputation to be trashed unfairly.바카라
While making no new allegations, Adil Rashid has welcomed recent steps to shine a light on racism, including the parliamentary hearing with the digital, culture, media and sport select committee that Rafiq is attending on Tuesday.
Adil Rashid, a legspinner who made his first-team debut at Yorkshire 15 years ago 바카라 overlapping significantly with the careers of both Vaughan and Rafiq 바카라 said he would be 바카라more than happy to support any official efforts when the time is right.바카라
바카라I바카라m encouraged by the fact that a parliamentary committee seems to be trying to improve the situation, whether that바카라s holding people accountable or getting changes made at an institutional level,바카라 he said. 바카라These can only be positive developments.바카라
Michael Vaughan was stood down by the BBC from his hosting role on a radio show last week.
