Yorkshire to open independent whistleblowing hotline on Monday

Yorkshire County Cricket Club have said their independent whistleblowing hotline for victims of discrimination will be opened on Monday.

New club chair Lord Patel announced the creation of the hotline last Monday and has urged other victims to "come forward and share their experiences".

Patel said hearing from victims will "guide" how Yorkshire "move forward".

The club have also confirmed the appointment of Mohinderpal Sethi QC to lead the independent investigation.

In a statement released on Friday, Patel said: "Setting up an independent whistleblowing hotline will allow there to be a safe space for people to come forward, secure in the knowledge that their complaint will be taken seriously, and I am happy to say that we have been able to put this in place within the week.

"Mohinderpal Sethi QC is eminently qualified in this area, and brings a wealth of experience as well as being completely independent from the club.

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"We are very pleased that he has taken on the role, which is a vital first step towards ensuring that we can move forward from our past, to hear from those who have suffered, and to take action.

"I am determined to make the club an inclusive and diverse environment for everyone with a passion for county cricket."

Yorkshire also condemned harassment of their staff, which they say has included death threats, and added that Patel has had "ongoing liaison with West Yorkshire Police since his appointment about this issue".

The appointment of Sethi and news of the whistleblowing hotline opening follows another turbulent week at Yorkshire in the wake of the racism scandal that has engulfed cricket.

A report found former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq was a victim of "racial harassment and bullying" but the county said it would not discipline anyone, drawing widespread condemnation.

Chief executive Mark Arthur and chairman Roger Hutton have both resigned, while on Tuesday, Yorkshire suspended coach Andrew Gale for a tweet he sent in 2010.

On Thursday, England Test captain Joe Root said he could not recall ever witnessing racism at Yorkshire, where he has spent his entire county career.

Root said the racism scandal at his county side has "fractured our game and torn lives apart" but when asked if he had seen any racism at Yorkshire, he said: "Not that I can recall, no... but it's clear things have happened at the club."

Rafiq tweeted in response to Root's comments: "Disappointed is not even the feeling. Incredibly hurt. But uncomfortable truths are hard to accept it seems."

Ex-Pakistan seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan was the second first-team player to allege racism at Yorkshire, saying "systematic taunting" occurred at the club.

Former Yorkshire academy players Irfan Amjad and Tabassum Bhatti have since shared their experiences of suffering racism while at the club.

Rafiq and senior Yorkshire officials will give evidence at a Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee hearing on 16 November. Former Yorkshire chairman Hutton will be questioned by MPs, along with Arthur.

Rafiq report timeline

2 September 2020: Following an initial interview with Wisden, ESPN Cricinfo publish an article with Rafiq in which he claims "institutional racism" at Yorkshire County Cricket Club left him close to taking his own life.

3 September 2020: Yorkshire say they have launched a "formal investigation" into the claims made by Rafiq and chairman Roger Hutton says the club would be carrying out a "wider review" of their "policies and culture".

5 September 2020: Yorkshire asks an independent law firm to investigate racism allegations against the club by Rafiq.

13 November 2020: Rafiq says he hopes to bring about "meaningful change" after giving his first statement to the inquiry.

15 December 2020: Rafiq files a legal claim against Yorkshire "claiming direct discrimination and harassment on the grounds of race, as well as victimisation and detriment as a result of trying to address racism at the club".

2 February 2021: Yorkshire threatens a lifetime ban for anyone found to have made threats against Rafiq or his family and legal team, after ESPN Cricinfo shows the club messages sent to Rafiq's legal firm.

17 June 2021: An employment tribunal case between Rafiq and his former club Yorkshire fails to find a resolution. The independent investigation into his racism allegations remains ongoing.

16 August 2021: Yorkshire receive the findings of an independent investigation into the racism allegations and, two days later, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) asks for a copy.

19 August 2021: Yorkshire, yet to release the findings of the report at this stage, admit Rafiq was "the victim of inappropriate behaviour" and offer him "profound apologies".

Rafiq accuses Yorkshire of downplaying racism by calling him the victim of "inappropriate behaviour".

8 September 2021: MPs tell Yorkshire to publish the findings of the report "immediately".

10 September 2021: Yorkshire release the findings of the report, which says Rafiq was the "victim of racial harassment and bullying" and seven of the 43 allegations made by the player were upheld by an independent panel.

According to Hutton, the report said there was "insufficient evidence to conclude that Yorkshire County Cricket Club is institutionally racist".

Yorkshire released a summary of the panel's report and recommendations, but said the full report could not be released for legal reasons "in relation to privacy law and defamation".

8 October 2021: Yorkshire miss a deadline to send the full report to Rafiq and his legal team after BBC Sport understands an employment judge ordered the club to release it in full by Friday, 8 October.

13 October 2021: Rafiq then receives a heavily redacted version, while the ECB says it is still awaiting the full report.

28 October 2021: Yorkshire say they carried out their own internal investigation after the findings in the report and concluded that "there is no conduct or action taken by any of its employees, players or executives that warrants disciplinary action".

2 November 2021: The Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee calls on Hutton to appear before it to answer questions about Yorkshire's handling of a report into Rafiq's allegations of racism.

MP Julian Knight, chair of the DCMS select committee, calls on the board of Yorkshire County Cricket Club to resign after a leaked report emerges apparently containing details of the investigation into the treatment of Rafiq.

A story published by ESPN says the report had concluded that a racially offensive term used towards Rafiq was regarded as "banter".

Knight makes his comments after health secretary Sajid Javid calls for "heads to roll" at Yorkshire and said if the ECB did not take action "it's not fit for purpose". He further states in a Twitter post that the term allegedly used to describe Rafiq was "not banter".

The ECB announces it will conduct a "full" investigation into the situation.

3 November 2021: The date of the DCMS hearing is scheduled for 16 November and Rafiq is called to give evidence in person, along with senior Yorkshire officials.

Several sponsors, including primary sponsor Emerald Publishing and Yorkshire Tea, end their partnerships with Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Current Yorkshire batter Gary Ballance releases a lengthy statement expressing regret for using a racial slur against former team-mate Rafiq.

4 November 2021: The ECB board suspends Yorkshire from hosting international matches.

Kit supplier Nike ends a four-year deal, announced in March 2021.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan says he was named in the report but "totally denies any allegation of racism".

5 November 2021: Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton resigns over the club's response and apologises "unreservedly" to Rafiq. Two further board members also quit and a fourth will step down in the near future. Lord Kamlesh Patel of Bradford is appointed as a director and chair of the club.

Former Yorkshire player Rana Naved-ul-Hasan says he heard an alleged racist comment made by Vaughan to a group of Asian players.

8 November 2021: Speaking for the first time since his appointment, Lord Patel apologises to Rafiq and says the club have settled the employment tribunal with their former player.

Irfan Amjad, a former Yorkshire academy player, says he was racially abused by a member of staff at Yorkshire, aged 16.

9 November 2021: The government says it is ready to "step in" if Yorkshire and the ECB do not take "real action".

Another academy player Tabassum Bhatti says he suffered racist abuse at the club as a 14-year-old.

10 November 2021: Yorkshire say they will launch an investigation after the club's head of human resources calls a supporter "a coward" and accuses the fan - and Rafiq - of "waging a campaign" against the club on social media.

11 November 2021: Yorkshire chief executive Mark Arthur resigns.

12 November 2021: Yorkshire say their independent whistleblowing hotline will be operation from Monday, 15 November. The club appoint Mohinderpal Sethi QC to lead the independent investigation process.

Yorkshire also condemn harassment of their staff, which they say has recently included death threats.