Former Yorkshire captain Azeem Rafiq said that he lost his cricketing career due to racism. Speaking at a hearing by a United Kingdom’s Parliament Select Committee set up by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to investigate institutional racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club, Rafiq said that racism took his career away from him.
"Yes, I do,” said the 30-year-old when asked if racism was the reason he thinks behind his cricket career ending so soon. “A horrible feeling. Maybe what was written for me was this. I am a massive believer in everything happening for a reason,” the former all-rounder added.
Rafeeq was also hopeful that from him coming out and exposing the institutional racism that has been taking place at Yorkshire and might be happening at other County cricket clubs for years, something will change for good.
"Hopefully we will see a massive change in five years' time and hopefully I did something bigger than getting runs or wickets,” he said.
Rafiq was also asked about how his wife has coped through all this. Answering this, the former England U-19 captain got emotional and said, "She has struggled and still continues.”
“Over the last 15 months, we have two young kids - one is just over two, one is about to turn one - and they have not had a dad, really, because all I have been worried about is Yorkshire going out to discredit me and how I am going to deal with it. It has been challenging, but I hope today provides some sort of closure and I can treat her for what she deserves,” he added.