"Pretty early on, me and other people from an Asian background…there were comments such as ‘you’ll sit over there near the toilets." This was part of Azeem Rafiq's evidence before  the digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS) committee in November 2021, where he shared his experiences of racism at Yorkshire CCC. A torchlight on a culture of racism normalised as locker room banter.

The substantive hearing of a Panel of the Cricket Discipline Commission into disciplinary charges against Yorkshire County Cricket Club and a number of individuals started in London on Wednesday 1 March this year. It is anticipated that the written decision will be made public in the near future.

It has been a pleasure working with Wasif Mahmood and Tom Coghlin KC in the build up to this case, acting for Adil Rashid.

Yorkshire CCC has admitted liability in response to four amended charges, including a failure to address systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language over a prolonged period and a failure to take adequate action in respect of allegations of racist and/or discriminatory behaviour. 

Former England captain, Michael Vaughan has told the Panel it's inconceivable that he would make the racist comment he has been accused of before a Yorkshire game in 2009.

Rafiq and  Adil Rashid, attending as witnesses for the ECB, told the Panel that the comment was made.

Jane Mulcahy KC, in her closing statement in the ECB's case against the former England captain in front of the CDC, made the point that tweets posted by Vaughan, and now described by him as "unacceptable", were sent during a similar time period when he is alleged to have said "there's too many of you lot" to a group of Asian players. Whether or not the charges are proven are matters for the Panel.

For now let these be lessons learnt from history.

To anyone dealing with discrimination in any walk of life, TAKE UP ROOM. Own your right to be where you are in life whatever your  background, the colour of your skin or the nationality on your passport. Racism has no place in either cricket or any other institution.