Yorkshire racism hearing: Azeem Rafiq feels 'vindicated' and has 'closure' after verdict delivered

Azeem Rafiq says he feels "vindicated" and has "closure" after a hearing into his allegations of racism at Yorkshire delivered its verdict.

A Cricket Discipline Commission panel found charges had been proved against five former players of bringing the game into disrepute through their use of racist and/or discriminatory language.

However, ex-England captain Michael Vaughan was cleared "on the balance of probabilities" of using racist language towards his former team-mate Rafiq.

Yorkshire previously accepted four amended charges while former England batter Gary Ballance also previously admitted the charge against him.

"I feel vindicated," Rafiq told BBC sports editor Dan Roan.

"Seven out of the eight charges have been upheld and, most importantly, one of the main reasons I spoke out was to highlight the wider problems across the game and the institutional racism at YCCC.

"I think that's been proven over and over again."

He added: "I've been pushed way more than I can handle throughout the last two and a half years. It's been difficult in a lot of ways, but the hearing was closure for me."

Former Yorkshire bowler Rafiq first made claims of historical racism at Headingley in August 2020, later calling English cricket "institutionally racist".

An independent investigation commissioned by Yorkshire upheld seven of Rafiq's 43 claims in September 2021, while an ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) investigation - which started in October 2021 - brought charges against the club, Vaughan, Ballance, Tim Bresnan, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Gale, Richard Pyrah and John Blain.

Rafiq accused Vaughan of saying "there's too many of you lot, we need to have a word about that" to Rafiq and three other Asian players representing Yorkshire in 2009. The 48-year-old "categorically" denied the allegation.

On Friday, the CDC panel said the ECB's case against 2005 Ashes-winning captain Vaughan was not proved.

Bresnan, Hoggard, Gale, Pyrah and Blain all denied the allegations against them but, unlike Vaughan, withdrew from the disciplinary process and were not present at the CDC hearing at the International Arbitration Centre in London from 1-9 March.

All charges against Gale and Blain were proved, and some against the remaining three were proved.

"For me, from day one, I've tried to make sure this doesn't become about individuals," said Rafiq. "I spoke about my experiences and what I went through. I've done that openly from day one and it's been corroborated by players, coaches and other people present.

"Of course I'm disappointed [about Vaughan's charge being not proven], I don't agree with all the findings but I respect them."

He added: "It's been tough, really tough, but it has made the game start to confront the institutionalised racism that's been going for decades and decades.

"Let's not be naive, we have seen a large part of the cricket community are still very hesitant to change. When you speak on racism, it's never going be comfortable, it's never going to be a perfect route through and it hasn't been. It's been tough on everyone."

I burst out crying - Vaughan

Vaughan said he was driving to collect his son from school when he learned he had been cleared.

"I just burst out crying," he told the Telegraph. "It was just the pure relief when your lawyer says you're cleared.

"When your wife is having to take beta blockers for 16 months and you wake up in the middle of the night and she is crying her eyes out it is so hard."

He added it had been hard, too, for his children "and the children of all those involved".

"There are people who wanted to see the back of me in cricket," he added.

"It was only around 11am today when I had the radio on I realised how big news it was. Then it hit me. I thought, 'Oh no, what if it had gone the other way?' I would have been done," he told the newspaper.

The BBC pundit had posted a statement on social media before the ruling was officially released which said: "It has been both difficult and upsetting to hear about the painful experiences which Azeem has described over the past three years.

"The outcome of these CDC proceedings must not be allowed to detract from the core message that there can be no place for racism in the game of cricket or in society generally."

Vaughan's lawyer, Paul Lunt, told BBC Sport there had been some "difficult, challenging times and some dark times" for his client, as well as "everybody involved".