Azeem Rafiq, a 32 year-old former Yorkshire cricket player, is open to the idea of meeting with former team-mate Michael Vaughan in light of the racism case against him that was recently found to be unsubstantiated. Rafiq and Vaughan had a positive and constructive discussion 18 months ago before the England and Wales Cricket Board legal charges were brought, and now Rafiq believes that the two can have another meaningful exchange on the future of the sport.
Rafiq is of the opinion that conversations between humans are the key to progress, and that Vaughan could be a part of reshaping the game for the better. The former England captain has expressed a “willingness to help bring about positive change”, and Rafiq is open to the idea. He has stated that any decisions made in the process must be made with the future of the game in mind, rather than solely focused on himself or Vaughan.
Rafiq, unfortunately, has experienced an increase in racist abuse since the CDC case dismissal. Various hateful words were used against him and the most recent one that he reported to Twitter was not considered to be in violation of the platform. He has also been appalled by the lack of change in attitude since he first spoke out. Rafiq’s ultimate mission is one to make sure that what happens to him going forward is positive and that others know to stand up for what they believe in and demand justice.
The ex-Yorkshire cricketer is determined to make a difference within the sport for the better, despite the personal toll it has had on him. Being part of the cricketing community, whether it be in a broadcast, media, administrative or leadership capacity, is something he very much wishes to continue. He wants the cricketing public to feel accepted, valued and respected when they come to the game.
Regarding the person mentioned in this article – Michael Vaughan is a 48-year-old former English cricket captain. He was recently cleared of the charge of using racist language towards Rafiq and three other players of Asian ethnicity before a match in 2009. Vaughan has expressed his willingness to be part of influencing positive change in cricket and Rafiq is supportive of this. The two have previously had successful conversations and now Rafiq has opened the doors to a further meeting.
The company mentioned in this article is the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The organization is the governing body for cricket in England and Wales and is responsible for the growth and participation in cricket from grass-roots level all the way up to the professional game. It is also responsible for the management of competitions such as The Ashes, County Cricket, One Day Internationals and also for the generation of leisure opportunities for cricket fanatics. They were responsible for the legal charges being brought against Vaughan in relation to the case regarding Rafiq.
