By Tim Parsons-
Long serving Yorkshire player Gary Ballance has admitted he is the one accused of making a racial slur on more than one occasion against former team-mate and “closest friend” Azeem Rafiq.
Ballance tonight released a lengthy statement confirming he had used a racial slur on more than one occasion against former teammate Azeem Rafiq, but said it was used in a friendly context.
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He apologised for using the term, which ESPN Cricinfo have reported to be ‘P**i’, but says it was in his “younger years” and that it was only ever meant to be a “friendly verbal attack” against his “closest friend” Rafiq.
The batsman said friends often used terms that would be unacceptable in other settings, but said he regretted using the racila slur since it had offended him.
is move follows another day of anger towards Yorkshire over their failure to take action against Rafiq’s alleged abusers that led to leading sponsors – including Emerald, who gave their name to Yorkshire’s Headingley ground – ending their association with the club, and a group of MPs demanded an independent inquiry. club on 16 November.
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Roger Hutton, the club chair, Mark Arthur, chief executive, and Martyn Moxon, director of cricket, are to be expected to be questioned by Mps.
Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, tweeted on Tuesday that the P-word “is not banter” and “heads should roll” at Yorkshire, while a spokesperson for Boris Johnson on Tuesday condemned the abuse of Rafiq and urged the England and Wales Cricket Board to look into the matter urgently.
A cross-party group of more than 30 MPs and two regional mayors from Yorkshire has also sent a co-signed letter to the ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison, calling for a comprehensive and independent inquiry into the club’s handling of the allegations.
The ECB, which received an unredacted version of Yorkshire’s report only last week, has already begun an investigation in its capacity as the sport’s regulator
Saddened
In a statement posted on Yorkshire’s website, Ballance said: “My family and I are deeply saddened and upset by the allegations recently levelled at me in the press and by the misleading and selective nature of the reporting in the last few days.
“Azeem was not just a teammate of mine but he was my closest friend and supporter in cricket.
“Throughout this process I have cooperated with the independent investigation and I have been completely honest and transparent with the club and the investigators at all times.
“Information and allegations have been leaked and reported in the press which in my view give a misleading impression of the evidence which was heard in the investigation.
“I had not intended to make any public statement but, given the reports which have been published, and with journalists arriving at my house, I feel I have no choice but to provide a public response.
“To be clear – I deeply regret some of the language I used in my younger years.
“The independent enquiry, having heard all of the evidence, accepted that the context of some of the language used was in a ‘friendly verbal attack’ between friends, which was not intended to offend or hurt and that no malice was intended.
“Given my incredibly close relationship with Rafa (Rafiq) over the years I am saddened that it has come to this.
“Rafa and I started playing for Yorkshire at a similar time and we quickly developed a very close bond.
“He encouraged me to play club cricket for his club Barnsley CC, which I did, we went on many tours together, with both Yorkshire and the England Performance Programme, and we always supported each other on and off the pitch.”We socialised a lot together away from the game and would also drink and enjoy ourselves together.
“On the pitch we supported each other greatly. We both captained Yorkshire at various times and we backed each other when we filled these roles.
“Rafa has always been a huge supporter of mine and was always there for me in the highs and lows of my career with Yorkshire and England.
“When he was first released by Yorkshire, I was there for him during that tough time, and I was delighted when he earned a new contract and a second spell with the club.
“He was very pleased for me when I was selected for England and I was delighted to receive his supportive messages during my time with England.
“He was also always a big support to me at some difficult times in my career, and I have always been very grateful to him for that.
“Because we were such good friends and spent a lot of time together drinking, on nights out we both said things privately to each other which were not acceptable.
“It has been reported that I used a racial slur and, as I told the independent enquiry, I accept that I did so and I regret doing so.
“I do not wish to discredit Rafa by repeating the words and statements that he made about me and others but I have to be clear that this was a situation where best friends said offensive things to each other which, outside of that context, would be considered wholly inappropriate.
“I regret that these exchanges took place but at no time did I believe or understand that it had caused Rafa distress.
“If I had believed that then I would have stopped immediately. He was my best mate in cricket and I cared deeply for him.
“To my knowledge, it has never been alleged that I reduced Rafa to tears.
“That does not mean that what passed between us was right or appropriate. It was not. Rafa said things to me that were not acceptable and I did the same with Rafa.
“I never said anything with any intended malice or to upset Rafa.
“Rafa and I remained closest friends throughout the time we exchanged these inappropriate comments.
“One winter, I suggested that Rafa and his bowling coach travel to Zimbabwe to stay with my family, which they did.
“He lived in my family’s house in Zimbabwe and spent time with my parents and my brothers while he trained in Zimbabwe.
“He would later become very good friends with my brother and the two of them stayed together regularly when my brother was in the UK.
“Rafa was always very grateful for the support and love which my family gave him and he regularly expressed this to me.
“I was honoured to be invited to his wedding in Pakistan, which I sadly could not attend.
“I am aware of how hurtful the racial slur is and I regret that I used this word in immature exchanges in my younger years and I am sure Rafa feels the same about some of the things he said to me as well.
“My intention, during this whole process, has been to be honest and cooperate with the independent investigation.
“In light of recent media reports it is only right, on behalf of me and my family, that I put my position in the public domain.
“I will not be making any further statement on this matter.”
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