Vaughan dragged into racism row engulfing cricket

3 years ago 275

Former England cricket skipper Michael Vaughan says helium "completely and categorically" denies claims helium made racist remarks to squad mates successful 2009.

England cricket has been rocked successful caller weeks by the study into racism astatine Vaughan's erstwhile region Yorkshire, with the England and Wales Cricket Board describing the club's effect to claims by erstwhile subordinate Azeem Rafiq arsenic "wholly unacceptable".

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An probe recovered Rafiq was the unfortunate of radical harassment and bullying during his career, but the nine said it would not instrumentality enactment against immoderate employee, subordinate oregon executive.

The ECB responded by stripping Headingley of the close to signifier planetary cricket, describing the substance arsenic "abhorrent".

Vaughan, who captained England to a celebrated Ashes triumph successful 2005, played for Yorkshire from 1993 until his status from the crippled successful 2009.

Writing successful his file for the Telegraph, Vaughan has revealed he's named successful the report.

"In December 2020 I was asked to talk to the autarkic sheet formed by Yorkshire to analyse Rafiq's claims," helium wrote.

"Other than having well-known and longstanding associations to the nine I had nary thought wherefore they wanted to talk to maine but I agreed to marque myself available.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan denies claims helium made racist remarks successful 2009. (Getty)

"The nighttime earlier I was owed to springiness evidence, retired of the blue, I was deed with the quality that Rafiq was alleging that successful 2009, erstwhile I was inactive a subordinate and earlier a Yorkshire lucifer against Nottinghamshire, I had said to Rafiq and 2 different Asian players arsenic we walked onto the tract unneurotic that determination are 'too galore of you lot, we request to bash thing astir it'.

"This deed maine precise hard. It was similar being struck implicit the caput with a brick."

Vaughan wrote that the allegations are simply not true.

"I person been progressive successful cricket for 30 years and ne'er erstwhile been accused of immoderate remotely akin incidental oregon disciplinary offence arsenic a subordinate oregon commentator. That the allegation came wholly retired of the bluish and much than a decennary aft it was alleged to person happened made it each the much hard to process," helium said.

"I wholly and categorically contradict that I ever said those words. I responded to the sheet by saying I was gobsmacked and that my nonrecreational ineligible proposal was that I could not look earlier a sheet having had conscionable a fewer hours' announcement of the specified superior claims made against me."

The 47-year-old said helium volition bash everything imaginable to wide his name.

"I person thing to hide," Vaughan wrote. "The 'you lot' remark ne'er happened."

"Anyone trying to recollect words said 10 years agone volition beryllium fallible but I americium adamant those words were not used.

Former England subordinate Gary Ballance has admitted utilizing a radical slur towards a teammate. (Getty)

"If Rafiq believes thing was said astatine the clip to upset him past that is what helium believes. It is hard to remark connected that but to accidental it hurts maine hugely to deliberation I perchance affected someone.

"I instrumentality it arsenic the astir superior allegation ever enactment successful beforehand of maine and I volition combat to the extremity to beryllium I americium not that person."

Vaughan's comments travel conscionable a time aft erstwhile England batter Gary Ballance admitting to utilizing a radical slur towards Rafiq.

"It has been reported that I utilized a radical slur and, arsenic I told the autarkic enquiry, I judge that I did truthful and I regret doing so," Ballance said successful a statement.

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