Joe Root says it is 'difficult' to see Azeem Rafiq 'hurting'
- Published
'I'm frustrated and pretty angry' - Rafiq
England Test captain Joe Root says it is "difficult" to see former Yorkshire team-mate Azeem Rafiq "hurting" after he was the victim of "inappropriate behaviour" at the club.
Rafiq, 30, said last year that "institutional racism" at the club left him close to taking his own life., external
He later accused Yorkshire of downplaying racism after "several of the allegations" were upheld in an independent investigation. Yorkshire offered "profound apologies".
Root, who played with Rafiq at Yorkshire, told BBC Sport: "From a personal point of view, Azeem is an ex-team-mate and a friend. It is difficult to see him hurting as he is.
"I hope that this can move quickly and can be dealt with swiftly moving forward, from a club point of view and for everyone involved.
"If anything, it just shows that we need to keep finding ways of making our game as diverse as we can, keep improving it, and make sure this is the last time that we have this conversation."
The independent investigation began in September and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wrote to the club last week to ask for a copy of the findings.
Yorkshire responded by saying "several of the allegations" were upheld. They have yet to publish the report or the recommendations, though they have responded to an ECB request for a timeline of publication by stating an aim to disclose the information "in the coming weeks".
The club said the scope of the investigation - carried out by law firm Squire Patton Boggs - went beyond solely examining Rafiq's allegations, also considering whether they were institutionally racist."The investigation has been in depth and far from easy," said Yorkshire. "Sadly, historically, Azeem was the victim of inappropriate behaviour."
Root added: "We have to keep trying to create opportunities, keep educating, and doing everyone we can to make this game for everyone,.
"As a team, we are certainly desperate to do that. We want to move the game forward and everyone to feel like it is a game for them.
"We will continue, as a team, to keep trying to find a way to do that, but everyone involved in the game has to do that as well."
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