Yorkshire fined and handed points deductions over Azeem Rafiq racism scandal

A CDC panel said £300,000 of the fine imposed had been suspended for two years

Yorkshire have been fined and docked points over their handling of the Azeem Rafiq racism case (James Manning/PA) (PA Wire)

Yorkshire have been hit with points deductions in two formats and fined £400,000 over the racism scandal linked to their former player Azeem Rafiq.

A Cricket Discipline Commission panel said £300,000 of the fine imposed had been suspended for a period of two years.

The club have also immediately been docked 48 points from their County Championship total, and a further four from their tally in the T20 Blast.

The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) listed the following sanctions:

• Reprimand
• Yorkshire County Cricket Club has been fined a total of £400,000, broken down as follows in relation to each charge: - £80,000 in respect of Charge 1; - £50,000 in respect of Charge 2; - £135,000 in respect of Charge 3; and - £135,000 in respect of Charge 4; £300,000 of the fine to be suspended for a period of two years.

• Yorkshire County Cricket Club is immediately imposed points sanctions of:

1. A 48-point deduction in the 2023 County Championship in respect of Charge 1;
2. A four-point deduction in the 2023 T20 Blast in respect of Charge 1.

Yorkshire, who had admitted four charges following the conclusion of an England and Wales Cricket Board investigation, released a statement confirming they accepted the sanctions.

A statement from the county read: “Following representations by the Board at last month’s hearing, the CDC and ECB have today acknowledged the vast amount of work done by YCCC to overcome the cultural issues that existed within the Club, which allowed racist and discriminatory behaviour to go unchallenged. We are accountable for these issues, and we accepted four amended charges as part of a continued commitment to ensure we are able to move forward.

“We are disappointed to receive the points deductions which affects players and staff at the Club, who were not responsible for the situation. They have worked tirelessly on and off the field to rebuild Yorkshire into an inclusive and welcoming Club that reflects the communities it serves. Greater clarity over our situation will allow us all now to look ahead.

“There remains much to do, but we have made significant investments to put in place best practice processes and procedures, as well as driving equity, diversity and inclusion through a new framework and taking important steps to improve the matchday experience to encourage greater inclusivity and tackle discrimination. This is in addition to the real progress we have seen on our Performance Pathway, ensuring young cricketers from all backgrounds can take part regardless of their economic circumstances.

“We look forward to continued dialogue with the ECB to ensure the financial penalty does not hinder our ongoing commitment to build on the strong foundations that have been laid. We remain focused on efforts to secure YCCC’s sustainability, ensuring the stability required to create a brighter future for all associated with Yorkshire Cricket.”