Yorkshire racism scandal: ECB recommends £500,000 fine and points deductions
- Published
Azeem Rafiq first detailed allegations of racism at Yorkshire in September 2020
The England and Wales Cricket Board has recommended Yorkshire are fined £500,000 and deducted points across all formats for their handling of the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal.
Former Yorkshire player Rafiq said English cricket was "institutionally racist", and racist language was used "constantly" at the club.
Yorkshire previously admitted four amended charges.
The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) will announce sanctions "soon".
The recommendations came on the day a long-awaited independent report found racism, sexism, classism and elitism are "widespread" in English and Welsh cricket.
The recommendation of a £500,000 fine was broken down in relation to each charge - £100,000 for the mishandling of Rafiq's case, £100,000 for the deletion and destruction of data, £150,000 for not taking action relating to racist behaviour, and £150,000 for the systemic use of racist language over a prolonged period at the club.
The ECB suggested £350,000 of this should be suspended for three years, while the remaining £150,000 should be paid in instalments.
Recommended sporting sanctions included a deduction of 48 to 72 points in the 2023 County Championship, a deduction of four to six points in the 2023 One-Day Cup, and a deduction of four to six points in the 2023 T20 Blast.
ECB lawyer Jane Mulcahy KC said it had taken Yorkshire's financial status into account and is not trying to put the club out of business.
Yorkshire chief executive Stephen Vaughan said in March the club had a £3.5m shortfall and a need to repay £14.9m to the Graves Trust - one of its major creditors.
Yorkshire's lawyer Daniel Stilitz KC asked the independent CDC panel to take into consideration the "detriment" Yorkshire has already "suffered".
"What is striking about this case is how far beyond sometimes slightly symbolic measures that Yorkshire has gone," he said.
"We do submit that it's difficult to think of a case in which an organisation which has embraced so forcefully the opportunity to transform itself in this regard. In fairness, the ECB has accepted in their submissions that the club has undertaken significant EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) action in respect of all aspects of its operation.
"The last two years have been some of the most difficult in the club's entire history. Yorkshire is not the only club to have issues with racism, as the ICEC (Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket) report today acknowledges.
"Nor is cricket the only sport to have done so. But really Yorkshire has been a lightning rod for concerns about racism in sports and its reputation, performance and finances have suffered and continue to suffer as a result."
Six ex-Yorkshire players found to have used racist language at Yorkshire were sanctioned with fines and bans by the CDC in May.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was cleared "on the balance of probabilities" by the panel of using racist language towards Rafiq.
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