Azeem Rafiq: 'A trailblazer who has created a watershed moment'
- Published
Emotional Rafiq tells MPs about racism at Yorkshire
A "watershed moment" led by a "trailblazer" - who could "empower a new generation".
Azeem Rafiq's emotional testimony about his experiences of racism at Yorkshire Cricket Club have rocked the sport and exposed the realities faced by the British Asian community.
But it could be a "catalyst for positive change" according to former England batter Mark Ramprakash.
BBC Sport looks back on an extraordinary day, what it means for the sport and what needs to happen next.
'A painful process ahead'
BBC sports editor Dan Roan
It had been expected that this could be a particularly painful day for cricket. But few could have predicted just how chastening, and damaging it would prove.
There is a feeling that this could prove a crossroads for the game's authorities.
I can't recall anything quite like it covering sport. Yorkshire is the most successful county in the English game. Yorkshire has produced so many great sides and players, has close ties with the governing body in terms of senior figures - and it has been brought to its knees.
It has lost all of its sponsors, the right to host England games and suffered huge reputational damage.
The hope is amid all this, it could prove a seminal moment, it could inspire more players to come forward and we have seen this already in the last few weeks.
There are reforms coming in. Yorkshire have promised a new QC-led review. A new whistleblower hotline has been set up. There has been an overhaul of leadership. Lord Patel has come in as chairman vowing to regain trust.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) recognise the need to tackle what appears to be a serious underrepresentation in the professional game of both players and coaches. And it knows it needs to tackle the dressing room culture that explains why there are not more players of colour who are playing the game.
Having said all that, it is still going to be a painful process. I think there could be more allegations and recovering from Tuesday will not be an easy task.
'Rafiq could empower a new generation'
BBC Asian Network presenter Ankur Desai
People felt like they couldn't speak up, because if they did they would be punished and wouldn't be able to progress in their career.
So they felt it was better to put up and shut up instead of actually speaking out about it. People felt like they wouldn't have been supported and it would have been brushed under the carpet, which is why this feels like a watershed, pivotal moment for people from the British Asian community.
When you see someone like Azeem Rafiq talking in this way, then he may empower a new generation of people to say 'look we won't stand for this and something needs to change and change soon'.
He could be a trailblazer.
He could be someone who kicks the door open and how many people can follow through and maybe help carry that torch through? That will be the next question. What will happen next?
The likes of the ECB and Yorkshire have serious questions at their front door. How they move the game forward for the betterment of everybody in society will be key.
'A catalyst for positive change'
Former England, Middlesex and Surrey batter Mark Ramprakash on BBC Radio 5 live
Rafiq has been at pains to says this is trying to shine a light on the situations that exist around the country, not just at Yorkshire. It is not to have witch-hunts against certain individuals. It's to try and help things and for his testimony to be a catalyst for positive change.
Clearly society has changed. When I started in 1987 the world was a very different place and what was accepted in society was very different.
The noises the ECB are making are very positive and this is about drawing a line and saying 'this is terrible and we don't want this happening again'.
This situation can be used in a very positive way. There's lots of people who are desperate to get involved in the game but there is a glass ceiling, they don't get into position of responsibility to help drive change.
In my 31 years involved in first-class cricket I can only think of two non-white head coaches of counties, that is staggering given the diversity in the UK and diversity within the global game of cricket. That's remarkable statistic and needs to change.
'Change needed in structure of the game'
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew
There clearly has to be a change in the structure of the game. Is this the time now the cupboard has been swept out that we have a complete blank sheet of paper? Because it seems the Asian community in particular, they do not feel connected.
How can Yorkshire have one Asian cricketer on its books? Adil Rashid of England. How can that be the case? It doesn't make sense. And it's questions like that that have to be answered. People have genuinely been trying but they haven't been going about it the right way.
The game has to kick-on, We are at rock-bottom. I don't think it can get any worse. It has been laid bare. So they should start building those blocks now and use it as a watershed moment.