Rafiq racism at Yorkshire CC

[peoniesarejustperfect]

Posting here for traffic as just so upset and disgusted to read about what has been happening at Yorkshire CC. The initial abuse and then it seems a cover up. Not sure if the whole story is out, but it just seems so shocking that a young, talented man would be subject to such horrible abuse by another young, talented man. Then for it to be dismissed by an inquiry. There's nothing to explain or justify it apart from pure nastiness. I am so pleased the sponsors are pulling out.

@Otherpeoplesteens

"Shafiq?" Rafiq. Fucking autocorrect!

The border between Lincolnshire and Yorkshire has moved around a bit over the years: it is possible that the place of your birth has been both in Yorkshire and outside it over the years. If they are prepared to discriminate against you on the basis of a line on a map within sight of the Humber River, it's hardly surprising that they might discriminate against someone brown born in Karachi, even if that individual was British enough to captain England at age-group level.

It's unfortunate that Gary Ballance's involvement as the 'senior player' involved in the use of the "P-word" has become public tonight, particularly as he is clearly the individual on the receiving end of the "Zimbo" comments. This particular dynamic obviously has still to reveal its secrets, but I happen to know Gary's family near Harare and I can tell you that the idea he is racist is inconceivable. Nothing has been said of the more junior players who were apparently also involved.

All the same, Yorkshire is not going to emerge from this with much credit - no matter how much they say they will - and their refusal to release the full unredacted reports is even more baffling. Several more sponsors have withdrawn their support today.

I'll watch with interest, but I can't imaging wanting to pay to go into Headingley again.

well he was racist. he was brutally racist. some of the comments he has made are despicable and he had his drug use covered up by the clubs. he has admitted using racist language. it is funnily enough absolutely conceivable that gary ballance is racist.

I feel disgusted at hearing what Rafiq has had to put up with, "bants"? Piss off its racism.

Was a Michael Vaughn fan too, I'm horrified at what's been going on.

Rafiq is a brave man, seen much abuse at him today on social media alone.

@araiwa

It really seems daft as fuck considering Yorkshire has a huge Asian population that tends to love cricket

And with hugely talented players too, and yet hardly any of them ever played for YCCC. Well now we know why.

The thing is it's just so heartbreaking but I am not even a little bit shocked. This is the reality for a lot of ethnic minorities esp institutionally.

@Snoozer11

Reading Gary Ballance's statement it seems a shame it's come to this.

He says they were best friends at the time, very young and would go drinking with each other and the remarks were made in that context.

I can see how this is the case and I used to know people in similar situations.

Using that logic, it's therefore acceptable to call a colleague/teammate/friend a 'fattie' or 'Dumbo' or 'sheep sha££er' because they are overweight, have big ears or are from the country? "But we're having a drink and a larf..."

@Anordinarymum

There is more to this story than meets the eye. It's not just about racism. It's political and has been planned.

I hate posts like this - vague and pointless

I don't necessarily condone it but I think cricket (and many sports) have a culture where it is acceptable to use terms of abuse to others. Often to opponents but also to "motivate" your team.

Cricket is notorious for "sledging" - a euphemism for abusing your opponent. Sometimes it puts the opponent off, other times they just deal with it. (E.g. when the Australians were playing England, one of them asked Ian Botham "How's your wife and my kid?" Botham replied, "My wife is fine, the kid is retarded.")

You only have to look at football to see how prevalent abuse is there - whole crowds of Neanderthal scum making abusive chants to their opponents.

People think racism is the problem, but they are missing the point. It shouldn't be the case that it's fine to be abusive just so long as it's not racist. Abusive language and behaviour should not be tolerated at all. It doesn't matter whether Rafiq was called a p-word or a b_n bastard or a cunt, it's the abuse that should be stamped out.

It's not a problem with Yorkshire CC, or English cricket, or cricket as a whole - it's a problem with almost all sport.

Political?

Either this kind of thing was happening or it wasn't. From the Guardian:

Rafiq, who is Muslim, said he started drinking “to fit in” at Yorkshire, something he has “come to regret”. When asked by Knight if he was ever forced to drink under the age of 18, Rafiq said he was pinned down while a player for his local cricket club in his mid‑teens and had red wine poured down his throat. He said someone who played for Yorkshire and Hampshire was involved. In his witness statement to the employment tribunal, Rafiq added: “At YCCC, it was never forced, but there was an entrenched drinking culture which had the effect of isolating Muslim Asian players: if you didn’t drink, you didn’t fit in.

Disgusting. Disgusting.

People think racism is the problem, but they are missing the point. It shouldn't be the case that it's fine to be abusive just so long as it's not racist. Abusive language and behaviour should not be tolerated at all. It doesn't matter whether Rafiq was called a p-word or a b_n bastard or a cunt, it's the abuse that should be stamped out.

If definitely matters. Don't act like racism isn't a problem here.

@Otherpeoplesteens

"Shafiq?" Rafiq. Fucking autocorrect!

The border between Lincolnshire and Yorkshire has moved around a bit over the years: it is possible that the place of your birth has been both in Yorkshire and outside it over the years. If they are prepared to discriminate against you on the basis of a line on a map within sight of the Humber River, it's hardly surprising that they might discriminate against someone brown born in Karachi, even if that individual was British enough to captain England at age-group level.

It's unfortunate that Gary Ballance's involvement as the 'senior player' involved in the use of the "P-word" has become public tonight, particularly as he is clearly the individual on the receiving end of the "Zimbo" comments. This particular dynamic obviously has still to reveal its secrets, but I happen to know Gary's family near Harare and I can tell you that the idea he is racist is inconceivable. Nothing has been said of the more junior players who were apparently also involved.

All the same, Yorkshire is not going to emerge from this with much credit - no matter how much they say they will - and their refusal to release the full unredacted reports is even more baffling. Several more sponsors have withdrawn their support today.

I'll watch with interest, but I can't imaging wanting to pay to go into Headingley again.

What's inconceivable about a man who uses racial slurs being racist?

Why am I not surprised that there are people on MN defending these racist scumbags?

@depremesnil

People think racism is the problem, but they are missing the point. It shouldn't be the case that it's fine to be abusive just so long as it's not racist. Abusive language and behaviour should not be tolerated at all. It doesn't matter whether Rafiq was called a p-word or a b_n bastard or a cunt, it's the abuse that should be stamped out.

If definitely matters. Don't act like racism isn't a problem here.

She isn’t. She’s saying all forms of abuse are wrong. Surely you can argue with that?

Can’t argue with that

She also said it doesn't matter that it was specifically racist abuse. It does.

What's inconceivable about a man who uses racial slurs being racist?

Why am I not surprised that there are people on MN defending these racist scumbags?

Simon Ballance, Gary's father, was one of the very few white farmers to have survived Mugabe's 'land reforms' with both his livelihood and his life intact. Many of their friends were murdered by stooges of the ruling party, Zanu-PF, simply for being white. You'd think they have better reason than most to be racist but in my experience most the overwhelming majority of white Zimbabweans are just not like that and everything I know about the Ballances suggests the same. Most regard themselves as African first and foremost; black employees on the farms are viewed as analogous to extended families and many white farmers were killed protecting their staff.

Prince Harry was filmed in 2009 calling an army colleague "our little Paki friend" and saying "fuck me, you look like a raghead" to someone in a camouflage veil. He apologised at the time it was revealed by the News of the Screws and it was widely condemned at the time - rightly so - but nobody seriously suggested that Harry is a card-carrying bona fide racist then, or now. Nobody has so far rebutted Gary Ballance's claim that he and Rafiq regarded themselves as good friends for a significant amount of time.

We can sit here and say it's wrong all we like, but young men of all backgrounds easily morph into products of the environments around them - in this case, toxic ones.

@Otherpeoplesteens

What's inconceivable about a man who uses racial slurs being racist?

Why am I not surprised that there are people on MN defending these racist scumbags?

Simon Ballance, Gary's father, was one of the very few white farmers to have survived Mugabe's 'land reforms' with both his livelihood and his life intact. Many of their friends were murdered by stooges of the ruling party, Zanu-PF, simply for being white. You'd think they have better reason than most to be racist but in my experience most the overwhelming majority of white Zimbabweans are just not like that and everything I know about the Ballances suggests the same. Most regard themselves as African first and foremost; black employees on the farms are viewed as analogous to extended families and many white farmers were killed protecting their staff.

Prince Harry was filmed in 2009 calling an army colleague "our little Paki friend" and saying "fuck me, you look like a raghead" to someone in a camouflage veil. He apologised at the time it was revealed by the News of the Screws and it was widely condemned at the time - rightly so - but nobody seriously suggested that Harry is a card-carrying bona fide racist then, or now. Nobody has so far rebutted Gary Ballance's claim that he and Rafiq regarded themselves as good friends for a significant amount of time.

We can sit here and say it's wrong all we like, but young men of all backgrounds easily morph into products of the environments around them - in this case, toxic ones.

You'd think they have better reason than most to be racist

There's no good or better reason for being racist.

You can make up all the excuses you want, someone who uses racist slurs and insults is racist.

Nobody has so far rebutted Gary Ballance's claim that he and Rafiq regarded themselves as good friends for a significant amount of time.

So it's okay to be racist to someone if you regard them as a friend?

We can sit here and say it's wrong all we like, but young men of all backgrounds easily morph into products of the environments around them - in this case, toxic ones

So that's ok?

Its bigotry not the weather.

I'm glad this has come to light and hopefully people can be held accountable. The 'banter' card is so old, I'm flummoxed that this was upheld.

but nobody seriously suggested that Harry is a card-carrying bona fide racist then, or now.

I don’t want to make this not about the YCCC, but this does go to the point about banter. Comments like this refer to the sliding scale of racism, from KKK/lynching level racism to overhearing someone call you a P* on the bus. @Otherpeoplesteens, you’re effectively saying ‘at least this wasn’t KKK-level’ racism. It wasn’t. And?

GBH isn’t as bad as murder. And?

Groping on the dance floor isn’t as bad as sexual assault at knifepoint. And?

Why should someone be allowed to make another suffer, however much or little, because they’re having fun, or are ignorant, or just want to?

Racism is such a complex thing. There are few clear boundaries EXCEPT that it’s unacceptable in all forms, at all times. There’s no excuse for it. Plenty of meaningless explanations, but no excuses.

There was also never any excuse for it decades ago. It’s absolute bullshit people saying some things were acceptable decades ago and should be judged in their historical context. Acceptable for the perpetrators’ consciences maybe, but it was NEVER okay to the victims or to those who fought against it. Further, anti-racism isn’t a modern invention. People have been anti-racist since the beginning of people, they just have a louder voice at this moment in time.

Racism in Zimbabwe and Zambia are multi-fold more complex than in the U.K., given the massively different historical context. Still, there is no excuse for it. Period.

It’s never okay to sexually abuse someone just a little bit, or not too badly, or as a joke. Equally, it’s never okay to racially abuse someone just a little bit, or not too badly, or as a joke. Coming from a ‘good family’ changes nothing. Being friends changes nothing (look up statistics on marital rape). There’s a single hard line, and it’s NO. NEVER. IT’S NEVER OKAY.

@Otherpeoplesteens

"Shafiq?" Rafiq. Fucking autocorrect!

The border between Lincolnshire and Yorkshire has moved around a bit over the years: it is possible that the place of your birth has been both in Yorkshire and outside it over the years. If they are prepared to discriminate against you on the basis of a line on a map within sight of the Humber River, it's hardly surprising that they might discriminate against someone brown born in Karachi, even if that individual was British enough to captain England at age-group level.

It's unfortunate that Gary Ballance's involvement as the 'senior player' involved in the use of the "P-word" has become public tonight, particularly as he is clearly the individual on the receiving end of the "Zimbo" comments. This particular dynamic obviously has still to reveal its secrets, but I happen to know Gary's family near Harare and I can tell you that the idea he is racist is inconceivable. Nothing has been said of the more junior players who were apparently also involved.

All the same, Yorkshire is not going to emerge from this with much credit - no matter how much they say they will - and their refusal to release the full unredacted reports is even more baffling. Several more sponsors have withdrawn their support today.

I'll watch with interest, but I can't imaging wanting to pay to go into Headingley again.

You seem determined to apologise for a racist.

@Otherpeoplesteens

This particular dynamic obviously has still to reveal its secrets, but I happen to know Gary's family near Harare and I can tell you that the idea he is racist is inconceivable.

'He would constantly talk down to me and make racist jokes, designed to undermine me and make me feel small, like coming up and interrupting when I was talking to girls in a club, saying 'don't talk to him, he's a P*'.

Both of these statements can't be true.

I'm a big cricket fan and like both @Otherpeoplesteens and @Libertaire had heard nothing within the game about Ballance being a dickhead; pretty much the opposite really.

Not to diminish the suffering that Azeem Rafiq has clearly experienced, but I can easily believe that an 18 year old separated from his family could have gone to Yorkshire and become racist, either consciously to fit in or possibly without even realising it - i.e. institutionalised. In other circumstances we might call the same thing radicalisation.

This is a club where virtually everyone is accused of being one, where racist behaviours were so normalised that no-one in the team thought to speak out and say it was wrong, and literally no-one in the entire club appears to have noticed that an Asian player was becoming suicidal because of it. Even Joe Root seems to have not noticed any racism at Yorks; this is the same Joe Root who called out homophobia on the pitch in a Test against West Indies, the Joe Root who would have been put through all the E&D stuff at the ECB as part of his England role.

I have no interest in apologising for a racist, but I am concerned that focusing on the perpetrator and throwing him under the bus is a bit too convenient when there is clearly an institutional issue at play here.

The Harry analogy is spot on because by all accounts the Army is the same. Similarly, I doubt most MPs go into Parliament to become corrupt or to fiddle their expenses, but they all seem to end up doing it and not finding it wrong.

@LegBreakGoogly

I'm a big cricket fan and like both *@Otherpeoplesteens and @Libertaire* had heard nothing within the game about Ballance being a dickhead; pretty much the opposite really.

Not to diminish the suffering that Azeem Rafiq has clearly experienced, but I can easily believe that an 18 year old separated from his family could have gone to Yorkshire and become racist, either consciously to fit in or possibly without even realising it - i.e. institutionalised. In other circumstances we might call the same thing radicalisation.

This is a club where virtually everyone is accused of being one, where racist behaviours were so normalised that no-one in the team thought to speak out and say it was wrong, and literally no-one in the entire club appears to have noticed that an Asian player was becoming suicidal because of it. Even Joe Root seems to have not noticed any racism at Yorks; this is the same Joe Root who called out homophobia on the pitch in a Test against West Indies, the Joe Root who would have been put through all the E&D stuff at the ECB as part of his England role.

I have no interest in apologising for a racist, but I am concerned that focusing on the perpetrator and throwing him under the bus is a bit too convenient when there is clearly an institutional issue at play here.

The Harry analogy is spot on because by all accounts the Army is the same. Similarly, I doubt most MPs go into Parliament to become corrupt or to fiddle their expenses, but they all seem to end up doing it and not finding it wrong.

You can't call someone the P word and not be a dickhead.

And I'm still appalled by the comment that Ballance has a good reason to be racist because his parents come from Zimbabwe.

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/61808315

Planned by who?

It feels.like a lot of white MNers love a racism thread because they can all hug and comfort each other as they are so disgusted and distressed by it. Then an actual brown person posts about their perceived discrimination and the self same people gang up and use terms like playing the racist card.