Yorkshire County Cricket Club has been in the limelight for all the wrong reasons for the past month or so. After Azeem Rafiq accused the club of ‘institutional racism' involving several former and current players in his testimony, it has spoiled the reputation of the club to a great extent. In one of the most recent developments, the entire coaching staff including the head coach and the Director of cricket have left the club amid the racism scandal.
A total of 16 members have called time upon their association with the Yorkshire Cricket County club. The list also includes six members of the backroom medical team. It has been a difficult few months for the members at the Yorkshire club, especially after being snapped from hosting any international cricket by the ECB. The club will now be on the lookout for a new coaching staff along with a quick appointment of the director of cricket.
Head Coach Andrew Gale to fight legally against the Club's decision
Former Yorkshire skipper Andre Gale was one of the 16 members asked to leave the club. He was suspended due to his historical tweets made in 2010 which seem to be of a racist nature. Gale, who was surprised to hear the decision, said he would fight legally against the decision made by the club. “The decision has come as a surprise to me,” he told BBC Sport in a statement. “The players knew about it before I did and I will be fighting the decision legally.”
On similar lines, Martyn Moxon, who was on leave due to stress-related illness was expected to appear before MPs at the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee on 16 November. However, his failure in doing so led to his suspension from his position at the club.
The club needs to regain trust, says the new chairman
In a statement released by the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, it said that the decisions made are in the best interests of everyone involved with the YCCC. “The decisions announced today were difficult to make, but are in the best interests of the club, ” the statement said.
“Significant change is required at Yorkshire County Cricket Club and we are committed to taking whatever action is necessary to regain trust,” said Kamlesh Patel, the club's new chair. “Without making important changes to how we are run, we cannot move on from the past to become a culture which is progressive and inclusive.”
After Azeem's accusations against the club, multiple other players have shared their experiences of racism they faced during their stay at the club.
The new chairman believes that is necessary to adopt a change in perception in thinking in order to develop an inclusive culture at the club.
“We want to make Yorkshire County Cricket Club a place for everyone, from all backgrounds,” Patel said. “To do this, we need to rebuild our culture and instil positive values in everyone associated with Yorkshire. We are determined to learn from the mistakes of the past to become a club which people can trust.”
