Michael Vaughan “completely and categorically” denies the allegation from Azeem Rafiq that he made a racist comment towards him and other Asian players before Yorkshire’s match against Nottinghamshire in 2009; This article contains comments some readers may find upsetting
Last Updated: 15/11/21 9:35am
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Sky Sports footage from 2009 shows Michael Vaughan shaking hands with Yorkshire team-mates Azeem Rafiq and Adil Rashid – the match where he allegedly made a racist remark. Vaughan denies the allegations
The match where Michael Vaughan allegedly made a racist remark towards a group of Asian players in 2009 has been identified as Yorkshire’s T20 match against Nottinghamshire.
The match was shown live on Sky Sports, and footage shows Vaughan shaking hands with four Yorkshire team-mates – Adil Rashid, Azeem Rafiq, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, and Ajmal Shahzad.
There is nothing audible on the clip, but after this huddle, Rafiq claims former Yorkshire and England captain Vaughan said there are “too many of you lot, we need to do something about it”.
Vaughan has “completely and categorically” denied he said that – and that finding out about the claim was “like being struck over the head with a brick”.
Sky Sports News has shown the footage to Rafiq, who has reiterated his claim that Vaughan made the comment. Rana Naved-ul-Hasan supports his former team-mate’s claim, although Shahzad has no recollection of the comment.
On Monday, Rashid corroborated Rafiq’s claims, becoming the third player to allege Vaughan made the remark.
“I 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 Rafiq’s recollection of Michael Vaughan’s comments to a group of us Asian players,” Rashid said in a statement to The Cricketer.
The clip has also been shown to Vaughan, who denies making the remark.
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The new chair of Yorkshire county cricket club, Lord Kamlesh Patel, has apologised to Azeem Rafiq for the club’s handling of his racism case and praised him for speaking out about his experiences at the club
“I have nothing to hide. The ‘you lot’ comment never happened,” Vaughan wrote in the Telegraph.
“Anyone trying to recollect words said 10 years ago will be fallible but I am adamant those words were not used. If Rafiq believes something was said at the time to upset him, then that is what he believes.
“It is difficult to comment on that except to say it hurts me hugely to think I potentially affected someone. I take it as the most serious allegation ever put in front of me and I will fight to the end to prove I am not that person.”
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England all-rounder Moeen Ali says Azeem Rafiq’s actions have made it easier for others to speak out about issues of discrimination and mental health
On Tuesday, Rafiq will give evidence to MPs looking into Yorkshire’s handling of his racism claims.
Former Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton and CEO Mark Arthur are also due to speak, as well as ECB chief executive Tom Harrison.
Arthur resigned from his post last week, while Lord Patel replaced Hutton as chair following the latter’s resignation earlier this month.